Part 2
07. Lots of emphasis on social networking for genealogy by using things like FaceBook (person pages), Twitter, Google Docs, Google Wave, scribd.com, and others — Facebook is now the most used website, surpassing Google recently. See several of Alan Mann’s talks (Peter comment: remember the earlier item: Notes of the talks by the FamilySearch staff are on the FamilySearch Wiki at http://wiki.familysearch.org — do a search for “familysearch 2010 NGS” or “familysearch 2010 BYU” (without the quotes), or by name, e.g. Alan Mann, Jim Greene, Tim Cross, Michael Ritchey, etc.; also Alan Mann’s articles page ishttp://alanmann.com/articles/ ).
08. Several freeware programs and online note storage websites helpful for FH were discussed — OneNote, Zotero, Google Docs, and Zoho — many uses for FH notes
09. Google Earth program — download for free; very helpful for FH; shows 3D views and maps and overlays; lots of features; Google Maps now shows part of it online without downloading the Google Earth program, but not as feature-rich
10. New items on Footnote — many new records; now have free “Person Pages”; they have already set up Person Pages for everyone in Social Security Death Index; you can set up others for your ancestors; can store images of documents, photos, etc.
11. Announcements by Ancestry.com that they have a new search engine, that Family Tree Maker will be released for Mac’s, and that they have posted both reference books “The Source” and “The Red Book” online and free for everyone at their wiki
http://www.ancestry.com/wiki/index.php?title=Main_Page .
12. Class was held demo’ing how we could do FH research in a networked group with people in different locations – use Skype or other communication to talk; person in charge assigns others to look up data in FHL, or on Ancestry.com, search censuses on FamilySearch.org, another to go to cemetery and photograph the tombstones, one to compile all data the others send him and post it
on Footnote Person Page; all done in real time
13. Take a look at Dick Eastman’s presentation about backups at
http://prezi.com/kxoaczct_yxv/oh-my-goodness-wheres-my-data/
14. Several talks on using Google in FH with the usual things, plus that you can save your search parameters by saving them as bookmarks; can set Google Alerts to tell you when it finds more things for the search parameters you specify; can use Google maps to make up migration routes, etc.
15. Several talks discussed the Standard of Proof for Genealogy which requires:
1. Reasonably exhaustive research
2. Complete and accurate source identification
3. Skilled analysis and correlation of data
4. Resolution of any conflicts in evidence
5. A soundly reasoned conclusion or “proof argument”
16. Military Redress Claims Applications for Civil War, etc. — very valuable for FH since they list property, family members, losses, etc.
17. “Genealogy Boot Camp for 21st Century” presentation by Tom Kemp showed several helpful suggestions and URL’s and a picture of an artifact for sale on eBay that gave an ancestor’s name; suggested posting your FH research, photos, and docs online somewhere (Facebook, Footnote, scribd.com, etc.) so it will be available – said he almost died 2 years ago and realized much of his research would be lost; said his presentation had been videotaped earlier in the week for posting online (I assume at either http://wiki.familysearch.org or http://www.familysearch.org under Library > Education.)
18. Idea to help make more effective presentations and stay within time limits — have some mark you recognize in your PowerPoint (e.g. move a symbol to a different place) that tells you that you should be half way through the presentation; then have fillers (she called them “zippers” – short stories) that are not in your PowerPoint and that you can put in or leave out to stretch or shrink your presentation when you see it’s going short or too long
19. Several new Affiliate programs for new Familysearch – see full list on http://www.familysearch.org/eng/affiliates/index.html
20. Many vendors with new programs and URL’s; many give-aways and drawings; see list of vendors on Conference websites
21. The National Map (of US) — very helpful USGS online maps at http://nationalmap.gov/
22. Our talk (Don and Diane Snow) on “Freeware for FH” from the Conf last week will be repeated (in different format) at the UVPAUG meeting, Provo, this Saturday morning, 8 May — see details on http://uvpafug.org (peter: their handout is available in pdf format at http://uvpafug.org/old.htm )
Donald R. Snow, Math Faculty, Nauvoo Universityhttp://www.nauvoouniversity.com
Retired Professor of Mathematics, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah
