1. FH Centre equipment – replacement and parts, 2. 110 year rule

 

by Bill Buchanan

Recently on a forum on the Internet the question was asked about how to get replacement parts for microfilm readers in FH Centres.

At http://familysearch.org/serve there are videos of talks in the FHC

Director area.  One of them is about Family History Center Equipment from the Open House 2011.  In this talk we are told about computer and printer replacement – well worth listening to – and close to the end (28 min 14 sec) Donna Miller tells us that we can get replacement parts for microfilm readers by asking for them from FH Centre Support at FamilySearch.  The following direct link will take you to the talk.

http://broadcast.lds.org/elearning/FHD/Local_Support/FHC/Open_House_2011/Family_History_Center_Equipment.P2G/Player.html

(shortened form http://goo.gl/1Mwbg )

It seems likely that microfilms will be with us for another 10-15 years or so, although they will decrease in importance over time.

It might also be good to check with your FM group.  They may be aware of surplus parts or even surplus replacement microfilm readers in your area.

2. 110 year rule

You might want to review the following knowledge document that is available in the Help Centre at either FamilySearch.org or new.FamilySearch.org

Knowledge Document 113599

“Information regarding the upcoming change from the 95 year policy to the 110 year policy

At the RootsTech 2012 conference, it was announced that the rule relating to getting permission before doing living ordinances is changing. The new FamilySearch website is currently being updated to accommodate this new policy. This update will be available in the next few weeks. Until then, please keep in mind this new policy.

The new policy is as follows:

Before doing ordinances for a deceased person born in the last 110 years, please remember that close relatives may not want the ordinances performed, or they may want to do the ordinances themselves.

You may do ordinances for your own deceased spouse, child, parent, or sibling, but please consider the wishes of other close living relatives, especially a living spouse.

If you are not a spouse, child, parent, or sibling of the deceased, please obtain permission from the closest living relative before doing the ordinances. The closest living relatives are, in this order: an undivorced spouse (the spouse to whom the individual was married when he or she died), an adult child, a parent, or a brother or sister.

Verbal approval is acceptable. Family members should work together to determine when the ordinances will be done and who will do them.

This is scheduled to be released in the next FamilySearch update.

For information on what to do with family ordinance cards that were printed by mistake, see 1008370.”

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Follow up to Rootstech 2012

Rootstech 2012 is over!  Did you get to go?  We didn’t!  I am told that there were over 4000 people in attendance – an increase from the 3000 last year.  Would any of you who attended please share what you learned in the comments field.

Even those who didn’t attend were able to participate.  There were an unprecendented 14 sesssions broadcast live.  For many of the live sessions the handouts were available online.

If you missed the main events you can:

1. Go to Rootstech.org.  Individual videos are going to be added.  There is already a link download of the entire syllabus (go to Downloads) which is 82 MB!  Or you can select the syllabus for individual sessions.
2. Go to Dick Eastman’s Online Newsletter. http://blog.eogn.com/  He had summaries of each day of Rootstech. By the way do you realize that Dick will be speaking at the joint AGS/AFHS Conference in Red Deer on April 13 and 14? (Go to http://rdgensoc.ab.ca/registration.html  for more information)
3. The Ancestry Insider also reported on Rootstech http://ancestryinsider.blogspot.com/

There is another way to catch up on Rootstech!  There is a free app for iphones/ipods/ipads and a version for Android devices! The app has a very original name – Rootstech.  Although the app was designed to use during Rootstech it gives you more access to news, and summaries of the keynote addresses – I haven’t explored all the links yet!

Rootstech was used as the opportunity to release the beta version of an app to do indexing!  This is available for both ipod/ipad/iphone (IOS) and Android mobile devices!  It is a beta so I don’t know if I would rush out and share with everyone right now, but I was very impressed with the features and stability of the app.

Some of you might wonder just how good it is to do indexing on a mobile device.  I installed it and tried it on my ipad.  I was very impressed.  After you sign in check the settings – just so you know what they are . . . All I got on the screen was the image of someone’s first name and last name.  I typed this in and clicked submit.  I missed seeing the name in context of the rest of the page and being able to see other words on the page to help with handwriting recognition.  Then I looked at the top of the screen and saw 2 icons – one of which looked like a page.  I clicked on it and got the whole page with the ease of zooming in and out any time I wanted to.  Then I just toggled between name and seeing whole document.  Maybe this was in the instructions?  Maybe I am just a slow learner?  i never did get to the end of a batch.  The names kept coming and coming and coming.  I had to stop so I could write this article so I just Signed out!   When I felt guilty and signed back in the names just seemed to continue from where I left off.  I have a lot more to learn about mobile indexing!  The App has a lot more features than you first realize – and seemed excellent.

The following information on the app was provided in the app by FamilySearch:

“This mobile app is expected to complement the FamilySearch indexing program, which has been operating since 2006. Hundreds of thousands of volunteers from around the world have contributed their time to index genealogical records using the FamilySearch indexing desktop software. Today there are more than 2.5 billion freely searchable names in the familysearch.org database, thanks largely to their efforts. Your mobile contribution to this effort, however large or small, is greatly appreciated. To ensure quality and accuracy, the system compares your work with answers from other volunteers until a “consensus” is reached.

While you use the same account information as you would when using the desktop indexing program, it is not necessary to have the desktop program in order to use this app. This beta app is in its early stages of development and is not yet fully integrated into the indexing system. So, if you also index using standard FamilySearch indexing, your contributions and points from using this app will not be displayed in your history in the desktop program. We plan to include this integration in future versions.

In this version of the app, you may see image snippets from collections that have already been indexed or from new collections. Reusing previously indexed snippets will help us determine the quality of results from this app and make future improvements to the system.

If you have questions or suggestions, or if you experience problems with the app, please e-mail us at indexing@familysearch.org.”

Try it – share your experiences!

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Family History Software for the Mac computer

Perhaps you own a Mac?  Probably you know someone who owns one?  Perhaps you have been asked what Family History (FH) software is available for the Mac?

There is good family history software for the Mac.  Unfortunately for the LDS family historian there are fewer choices than for the Windows computer user.

As we have written before (see article 5 June 2011 at http://peterfh.wordpress.com/) we encourage everyone to keep their own family history records on their own computer.  These are then my records.  What is on the Internet at sites such as new.familysearch.org are “our” records – where we collaborate with others and share with the world.

It is unnecessary for any Windows computer user to double enter data on their own computer and on new.familysearch.org (nFS).  There are several excellent software choices available that allow data to be moved to and from new familysearch without re-entering the information as well as allowing other interaction with nFS. Even PAF – old as it is – can do this with the help of either Family Insight or Ancestral Quest.  Several good alternatives to PAF can synchronize data with new familysearch such as Rootsmagic, Legacy Family Tree, Family Tree Maker with Family Insight, and Ancestral Quest to name but four.  Family Insight works as an intermediary between just about all the most popular programs and nFS!

What is available for the Mac and what works with the FamilySearch website?

To answer this question go to Familysearch.org, scroll to the bottom of the screen and click on Products (you can get to the same information from the sign in page for nFS  – look for the heading More Great Products).  Here you can see the lists of products certified by FamilySearch – we often call them affiliates.  Many of them are utilities to help with printing or contacting people and some are personal family history record keeping products.  For each of these products there is a list of access features.  There is a long list of web products (18 as of 24 Sep 2011), a long list of Windows products (14) and a very short list for the Mac (5), and an even shorter list for mobile devices (1).  There are only 5 items on the Mac list!  Family Insight is there with a good list of features certified for working with nFS, and Mac FamilyTree with a short list of features for working with nFS.

What is the Mac user to do?

The situation is not quite as bad as it looks.

1. The FamilySearch list does not include Family Tree Maker (FTM) for the Mac which does work with the current Mac version of Family Insight.  But what if you don’t like FTM, or its price? – although remember that the price of FTM often includes several months access to an Ancestry web site.
2. Family Insight are beta testing a version of their product that will work with Mac FamilyTree and deliver a good list of features that work with nFS.  This is important news for many Mac users.
3. Rootsmagic have said that they intend to have a Mac version of their product available – perhaps by the summer of 2012.

Is that all?

One of the most popular Family History products on the Mac is Reunion.  You could export your data as a gedcom and then use Family Insight – but this is cumbersome and  I think unnecessarily complicated.

Are you willing to run a Windows FH program on your Mac?

There are 3 ways to do this and you can very successfully use any Windows FH program on your Mac.

1. Turn your Mac into a Macindow (????) or a Winmac (just joking!) by buying either Parallels and Fusion and then installing a full copy of a Windows operating system – if you don’t own a full copy of Windows you will have to buy one.  I have done this and with a click can move between the Mac and Windows operating systems.  I have PAF, Ancestral Quest, Family Insight for Windows, Rootsmagic, and Legacy Family Tree all working in Windows on my Mac. Files are shared between the 2 operating systems. Besides cost what is the downside of doing this?  You need to learn 2 operating systems, and you need to update 2 operating systems.
2. Every Mac comes with a free copy of a product called Boot Camp.  This will allow you to install a version of Windows – which you would have to own.  Then you can install any Windows FH program.  The downside is that you have to re-boot your computer to move between Windows and Mac operating system, as well as having to know and update 2 operating systems.
3. Install a Windows emulator program on your Mac and then install the Windows FH program of your choice. You do not have to install a copy of Windows and therefore don’t have to own a copy of Windows.  There are several Windows emulator programs available, such as Wine and Crossover Mac.  Some are free and some cost as much as $40.

One of the nicest articles on the ways to run Windows programs on a Mac can be found at Rootsmagic.com under the link to Support then Knowledge Base.  Search for “Mac” and then select Will Rootsmagic Run on a Mac? – go to the bottom of the article where there is a link to more information which gives you access to a table of choices and other information.

Well, that’s how I see things.  I hope this helps.

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5 Minute Genealogy Videos

(From Ralph and Linda Miller, Area Advisers, New England)

We’re all busy, so what if you can do key things in family history in five minutes or less?  That’s the purpose behind a new series of videos produced by the Family History Department called 5 Minute Genealogy.

Several videos (each less than 5 minutes long) show how simple it is to find a record, organizing what you know, and getting information from family members.

You can find these videos several ways:

1. Go to familysearch.org, click on “learn” and select “research courses.”  The 5-minute genealogy courses are listed there.
2. Go to youtube.com and type in 5 minute genealogy.  The courses should pop up.  Once you have one, you should be able to find more.
3. http://bcove.me/f7gspq8l  – this link should take you there.

While you’re at familysearch.org, “learn” and “research courses,” check out the other videos, such as “getting started.”

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Synch your PAF data across multiple computers

by Bill Buchanan

I used to have a problem keeping my PAF data synchronized across multiple computers. Now I can do work on any of my computers and the changes are automatically made to all of them.

Dropbox.com offers 2 GB of free online storage, as does various other sites. The difference is that you can install Dropbox on multiple computers and Dropbox automatically synchronizes your data on each computer when that computer connects to the internet.

I have PAF installed on each of my computers, with my PAF data file (and linked photos) uploaded to Dropbox, which also stores a copy in my local DropBox folder. The rest is automatic. When I start PAF on any of my computers, it opens the file stored on the local computer and this folder is automatically synched across all of my dropbox folders.

So I can edit a PAF file on my laptop while doing research at a remote location and any changes will automatically be made to my desktop computer, my wife’s computer, and to all of the other Dropbox folders keyed to my email address and password (whether on a Windows PC, Mac, Linux, Android phone, or iPhone).

So I just use PAF as usual. There is nothing new to learn or do, but before shutting down the computer I check my Dropbox icon in the system tray to make sure that my PAF data file has a checkmark on it (showing it has been synched to my Dropbox “cloud” account). People with a faster internet connection probably don’t need to bother with that step.

I should never lose my data again or end up with multiple different versions of the same file. Dropbox also has other useful features.

Disclosure: I have no connection to Dropbox.com, except as a happy user of their free account.

(note from Peter:  Thank you, Bill.  I too am a happy user of Dropbox – works with Mac, Windows and Ipad – synchs all kinds of files – really good for personal history too! – and the program is free!  - for up to 2 GB of storage!)

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Why do we need to use a genealogy program on our computer instead of just using the new.familysearch.org website?

We periodically get asked this question.

We recommend that each of us have our own family history file on our own computer using any of the many excellent recordkeeping programs that interact with new.familysearch.org.

Why keep your own records?  Some of the reasons include:

1. I want to have full detailed records of living family and relatives – this is not the role of nFS – you need your own database
2. I need a place to keep my notes and sources – at least until nFS updates their tools for sources
3. I need a place to keep my records in case someone changes my information on the web site
4. I need a place where I can keep images of documents and photographs linked to my ancestor information

There are more reasons than this!  Knowledge document 105366 gives 8 reasons!  This document discusses the advantages and disadvantages of using nFS instead of personal software on your computer.  Note: most of the advantages given for using nFS can be voided by keeping good backups and giving family members a copy of your data.

Why do some people object to doing this?

1. They don’t want to keep 2 files updated – the one on their computer and the web site – solution:  use products that act as intermediaries with nFS so you can move any data elements to and from nFS with typing them.  If you are a PAF user this would be Family Insight or Ancestral Quest.  If you are not a PAF user then select a product that works with nFS such as (in no particular order) Rootsmagic,  Legacy Family Tree, Ancestral Quest, Family Treemaker (Windows or Mac) with Family Insight – several of which are free (see Products link at bottom of page at FamilySearch.org)
2. They don’t want to type all the information into a new file – solution – you don’t have to type all the information into a new file – you can either download data from nFS using the free program Get My Ancestors or use one of the products listed at the end of #1 above which will add names to your file for you.  Of course if you download from nFS and don’t know the source of the information you will need to verify the validity of the information i.e. do some research – which you will have to do anyway if you are beginning.

Remember the purposes of nFS include: prepare names for the temple,  build one pedigree chart for mankind, clean up records (as much as we can), and collaborating on  Family History.

See knowledge document 100317 for the purposes for nFS

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Rootstech 2011 Presentations online

Rootstech 2011 sessions are available online  “Those who missed the inaugural 2011 RootsTech technology and family history conference in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA, in February can now watch the keynote address and a few other popular presentations online at rootstech.familysearch.org.

“We’ve put the videos of the keynotes and other presentations online for free to give others a chance to share in the RootsTech experiences—to give them a taste of what they can expect for 2012,” said Anne Roach, RootsTech conference chair.

Recorded presentations include:

1. Jay Verkler, CEO, FamilySearch International: “RootsTech: Turning Roots, Branches, Trees into Nodes, Links, Graphs”
2. Barry Ewell, founder, Mygenshare.com: “Digitally Preserving Your Family Heritage”
3. Curt Witcher, manager, Historical Genealogy Department, Allen County (Indiana) Public Library: “Exploring Emerging Technologies”
4. Brian Pugh, senior engineer, FamilySearch International: “Cloud Computing: What It Is and How We Used It to Build FamilySearch.org”
5. Thomas MacEntee, founder, High-Definition Genealogy: “Shape the Future of Family History”
6. Brewster Kahle, founder, The Internet Archive: “Connect and Collaborate”

RootsTech is a conference designed to bring technologists and genealogists together to learn from each other and find solutions to the challenges associated with family history research. The conference focuses on content that will help genealogists discover new research tools while enabling technology creators to learn the latest development techniques.

In addition to the six video presentations available on the RootsTech website, visitors can watch video interviews and other conference speakers and developers at Genealogy Gems on YouTube.

With more than 3,000 in-person attendees from 32 states and 15 countries—some coming from as far away as China, New Zealand, Australia, Namibia, and Israel—and another 4,500 attending remotely over the Internet, the conference was one of the largest genealogy-related conferences ever held in the United States.

The RootsTech 2012 conference is scheduled for February 2–4 in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA.” (from lds.org/news)

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familytech.familysearch.org

New web site from FamilySearch currently in alpha testing.  Thought you might like to try it.  Link came from labs.familysearch.org where it says “Discover technologies that will improve your family history research and knowledge.”

Looks like some interesting articles!

Please try this site and send Feedback

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