Monday, March 11, 2013

What I Hope to Hear at RootsTech 2013

The start of RootsTech 2013 is only ten days away now, and I'm starting to put together my research list for the Family History Library (using the RootsMagic To-Do list, which I'll copy to a file and put in Dropbox and Evernote for access on my smart phone and tablet) on Wednesday, 20 March.


My plan for each of the days at RootsTech is to attend the Keynote talks, then spend time in the Exhibit Hall and at the Media Center, and squeeze in one or two speaker sessions each day.  I look forward to hanging out at the Media Center with the other Official Bloggers.  Hopefully, I will be able to post pictures and experiences each evening from Salt Lake City.

I got to thinking about the exhibitors, and what "new, shiny goodies" they might have for us to see and discuss (and write about).  Here is my "Hope to Hear" list for some of the exhibitors:

*  Ancestry.com :  Enhanced viewer for many more databases, several large and unique databases are released. FTM 2013 announced, will have improved charts and reports, improved interaction with FamilySearch Family Tree, etc.  Access links to unique collections on Fold3, Archives, etc.  Improved app for iOS, Android and Windows.

*  FamilySearch :  FamilySearch Family Tree open for everyone including photos, and API released to software companies to interface with it.  Revamp of website to make searching easier, especially on record collection page.  App for FamilySearch Family Tree, Research Wiki, Library Catalog and Research Courses.

*  FindMyPast :  More U.S. record collections, more Canadian collections, improved navigation (page-to-page, especially) on the site.  Improved family tree capabilities.  App for family tree and searching collections.

*  MyHeritage:  More U.S. and worldwide record collections.  Integration with Geni (including cross-platform searches). Improved Family Tree Builder software.  Improved app for searching collections and family tree.

*  Legacy Family Tree:  Version 8?  Improved interaction with FamilySearch Family Tree, including sources and images.  Lots of FamilyTreeWebinar.com and Legacy QuickGuide sales.  Free app for iOS and Android to access tree information and webinars.

*  RootsMagic : Version 6.1?  Improved app for iOS and Android, including access to webinars.  Improved interaction with FamilySearch Family Tree, including sources and images.

*  Mocavo :  Additional databases available.  App to search databases and genealogy websites.

*  Geni.com :  GEDCOM upload/download capability from genealogy software.  App for photo upload, world tree access.

*  Evidentia : A coming out party for this genealogy software - it may be the "best new product" of the conference.

There - now I've raised everyone's expectations, haven't I?  I have only one bit of "inside information" and I haven't included it in the list above.  I know also that I am not the most "tuned-in" to new ventures in the genea-blogsphere...

There is no list of exhibitors on the RootsTech website yet - only the list of sponsors.  The Exhibit Hall is supposed to be 40% larger this year, so there may be many more small entrepreneurial companies, even professional genealogists, with exhibits.

What new products do you "hope to hear about" from RootsTech 2013?  Tell me in Comments. Let's see if any of us can predict what will be shown at the conference!

The URL for this post is:  http://www.geneamusings.com/2013/03/what-i-hope-to-hear-at-rootstech-2013.html

Copyright (c) 2013, Randall J. Seaver

6 comments:

Tessa Keough said...

Ah Randy, from your post to the Genealogy God's ear! I have been waiting patiently for Legacy Family Tree to upgrade their program -
(1) hoping for more in the way of research manager type capabilities with good use of scoring (direct, indirect, quality, etc.) and being able to take the research you do and incorporate it easier (similar to RootsMagic - I thought that was a brilliant upgrade)
(2) a mobile app that syncs seamlessly
(3) a number of the fixes or suggestions that forum members have provided over the past two years taken to heart by Legacy rather than more bells and whistles - Legacy has plenty of those already.
Here's hoping!

Tamura Jones said...

Not much happens at RootsTech, and Ancestry sure isn't going to introduce FTM 2013 there.
You may recall that Ancestry.com decided to not introduce FTM 2013 at all: Family Tree Maker 2013.
Would not get my hopes up for a free app that works with Legacy 7 either. There is a commercial third-party app already, and Millennia may want to concentrate its efforts on Legacy 8, which may or may not include an app.
Can't tell all I know. Do expect MyHeritage FTB 8 to be ready soon.

Geolover said...

Your call for "improved" interaction with FamilySearch-Family Tree on the part of 3rd-party software is premature. FamilySearch has not yet given the code to developers. Some 3rd-party software programs can interact with the new.FamilySearch tree, and FS is still migrating data between new.FamilySearch and FS-FamilyTree. Some of the impacts on FS-Family Tree adversely affect cleanup work done in FS-Family Tree.

I was not aware that Ancestry.com had any version of FTM that worked with new.FamilySearch.

Unknown said...

GENI will be more user friendly toward the folks who joined when it was a FREE site! I was even willing to pay to become a member BUT they will NOT let you pay a monthly fee like Ancestry they will only accept ONE yearly charge and I can't afford that so No membership for me and unable to access my data there. Not customer friendly!

Cousin Russ said...

Randy

Looks like I'll be running into you many times. I'll shadow my leader .. that be you .. IF that's OK. As Tamura said, No FTM2013 as previously announced.

Russ

Sven-Ove Westberg said...

My wish list.

Will here be family tree database software where you can add references direct from the libraries catalog? I doubt that since then they can not follow Mills.

Will some interface with a reference organizing software such as zotero?

An open API to the user trees on Ancestry.

I would like to see someone start using Maridb or MySQL as their database. So the DB engine is separated from the genealogy program.

I do not think Legacy will have a new version they may talk about it. They have a slot reserved at the SCGS Jamboree June 7.