The TechnoGenealogist

Google: Do No Evil

2011-08-15T07:43:00.000-07:00

I was recently looking into Google's "Don't Be Evil" manifesto to gain some insight into their internal policies surrounding the data they collect. It's fascinating to learn what various organizations define as "evil," or how they avoid this perception. Even working for FamilySearch, a non-profit organization, there were those who chose to interpret some of the software updates and changes as ill-intended. I never saw that as the case, and felt that those who took this perspective were failing to look at the bigger picture.

Google, while providing privacy settings in all of their products, does not set these as default settings. Many users are unaware of these privacy settings, and Google continues to collect "helpful" information about them. Products like Blogger, YouTube, Chrome, Google+, and Gmail allow Google to collect information about users in order to market to them better. Google's Android is set up to do the same, and as recently as a few months ago, was discovered to include flaws that leaked personal information about Android phone users.

While some users (including myself), are willing to overlook these flaws in interest of Google's super-usable offerings, it is interesting to discover just what is meant by "Don't Be Evil." Wouldn't it be nice if there were organizations whose motto was "Do Good," rather than "Don't Be Evil?"

Having come from the non-profit sector, I thought it would be impossible to find a private organization that was engaged in doing good. I thought that I would need to adjust my philosophy of being a benefactor to the genealogical community and the world as a whole. Shortly after starting with Inflection (Archives.com), I started receiving internal e-mails like this:

"Happy Birthday to xxxx, who has donated their cake to Z non-profit organization." What followed was a description of the organization and the good they were doing in the world.

Next I learned that for every software update and release, the company multiplies the release number by a set dollar amount, and donates significant amounts of money to non-profit organizations. They donate food and money to local organizations almost every day, but they do so quietly, without fanfare or accolades. When working with other organizations, they set high standards of integrity and honesty. Who would think that a private-sector, for-profit company would drive me to want to "Do Good" in every way?

Everyone has a slightly different definition of "Do Good," and of "Don't Be Evil," but it's comforting to know that there are companies out there that are going beyond avoiding evil or just making money. I know there are others beyond Inflection/Archives.com that do this. Do you know of a "Do Good" company? Please share below!

A Little Land Record Lesson

2011-08-03T07:14:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I had the privilege of going to one of the busiest, most lively County Recorder's offices I have ever visited. Perhaps it had something to do with the fact that this particular county was rich in oil. The woman who offered to help me in my search seemed to be oblivious to the fact that there were alphabetical name indexes pertaining to the grantors and grantees. "No, there's no way to look up the section of land by the owner," she said. This was unusual, considering that she was a specialist in her area. As I often enjoy doing in situations like this, I played dumb and let her walk me through her method of accessing the land records I was in pursuit of.

Similar to land plat books, she had on her computer a program that would locate land based on township and section number. Think "Google Earth + Land Plat Maps," and you are right there with me. I decided that I needed one of those programs at home, but something told me I couldn't afford it. Fortunately, I was familiar enough with the ancestral area (without having the township or section number) that I could visually locate the section of land on her computer. The next step, of course, was going to the books.

As I entered the record room, I was surprised to see a long line of young, vibrant faces holding books that spanned their torsos from shoulder to waist, waiting to exchange their tomes for another. Their presence was accompanied by friendly and casual chatter over the records as they identified sections of land that would benefit their oil company employers.

Directly behind them on a shelf, I noticed the Grantor/Grantee Deed Index books, but was guided instead to the township and section books by my experienced helper. Here I will confess: I have never started with the township/section books. I have always started with the deed index books to first identify the individual ancestor in order to identify the township and section. My advantage this day was knowing precisely where the land was located prior to my search, having lived on a portion of the land as a child.

What this allowed me to do early in my search was to view all neighboring transactions for the specific land section in a handful of pages rather than jumping around through deed books to determine each transaction that the individual ancestor participated in. The obvious disadvantage to starting with the township books was that I might skip over other sections owned by that same ancestor.

Jumping into the shoes of these master petroleum geologists was very insightful for me. On one hand, I considered the experience of these individuals, and thought about how much more valuable the genealogical industry is when we tap into others' occupational expertise. On the other hand, I realized how confusing and overwhelming this process might have been for a newbie researcher who had no prior knowledge of the township and section number, nor of deed index books. Had someone called this office to request a copy of ancestral land records, it might have resulted in zero results if the caller didn't first know the township and section number.

While I am an enormous advocate for onsite research where possible, this was a perfect scenario to help me reaffirm the value of digitization coupled with the need for expert mentors. By providing assisted remote access to the records, the newbie could get help to locate the necessary records minus the confusion and frustration.

Digitization efforts call for a new kind of professional researcher: an online consultant who is able to use technology with agility to assist researchers of various (and lesser) skill levels in accessing, navigating, assessing, and analyzing online record collections. These professional researchers must be more than great researchers, they must be great instructors and consultants. They must be great technologists to help their clients remotely as if they were sitting beside them on their computer. They must be great networkers, so that when they lack the knowledge to assist with a difficult problem, they can conference in a colleague to help. They must not be stingy with their knowledge, and must recognize that by sharing their knowledge, they are raising the bar of expertise across the genealogical industry.

From my experience, we already have many of these individuals in the industry. The digital record age does not replace or remove the need for onsite research with online research. What it does is increase the need for professional consultants who are willing to redefine themselves to keep new researchers moving in the right direction.

Social Media Sabbatical and FGS 2011

2011-07-26T12:24:00.000-07:00

The transition to Inflection (Archives.com) has been a good one, but like everything else, I like to ramp up quickly, so I guess you could say that I have been taking a sabbatical from my usual social networking activities (at least the highly visible ones). These included Tech Tip of the Day, Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook (for the most part), and this blog.

What, you may ask, happens when one takes a vacation from social networking? I acquired dozens of friend requests, followers, and likes without doing a thing, which was unusually flattering, but I also caused some associates to think I wasn't interested in being "linked-up." It also helped me recognize the enormous value of face-to-face interactions in managing relationships rather than relying on wall posts or tweets.

As Joe Godfrey promised at NGS 2011, I have been leading a great team to acquire great new record collections for Archives members. If you didn't get your free memberships at NGS through the end of 2011 so that you will be able to enjoy the benefits of these new acquisitions. If you have been overlooked, I have a small number of these demo memberships that I will pass out on a first-come-first-serve basis in honor of the upcoming 2011 FGS Conference. Please tweet me at fsanne with the two hashtags #FGS2011 and #ArchivesCom for your free demo membership if you didn't receive one at NGS. Please check back regularly with your membership to watch us grow throughout 2011. We have some wonderful things just around the corner for our users. Also, don't forget to stop by the Archives.com booth at FGS to meet our Product Managers for exclusive tips and tricks, and to try out Archives.com.

Speaking of FGS, yes, I will be speaking this year on a subject near and dear to my heart: Court Records. As one who is known for her technical knowledge, it is so refreshing to be able to speak on a topic I have spent almost two decades researching. I am excited for some very unique elements that will be included at FGS this year and look forward to seeing you there! FGS 2011 may look and feel a little different than it has in the past, so you won't want to miss it!

Joining Inflection - the Un-Corporate World

2011-06-15T08:49:00.000-07:00

As many of you may know, I recently accepted the position of Director of Content Development with Inflection's family history entity, Archives.com. As many of you may also know, I am not the type of person who gives praise where it isn't due. If I give a compliment, you know I mean it.

With the capstone event of RootsTech, which I had the privilege of developing, chairing, and MCing, I felt I had accomplished precisely what I came to FamilySearch to do. When a friend who knew I was exploring new opportunities called to ask if he could offer my name to Inflection for consideration, I agreed. I interviewed with other companies as well, but ultimately made the decision to move to Inflection.

Some co-workers and friends asked me why I chose Inflection over other opportunities. Here is a company with NOBODY in it who has genealogical expertise, and they have accomplished more in the way of building an underlying structure for guiding beginners than any other product I have yet observed. Sure, the content is still young, but content will grow, just as it has with every other company out there. What's more, they are committed to providing their services for such a small amount, even as they continue to grow!

I can't even begin to describe all of the great things about this company. Calling it a company somehow seems very inaccurate. While every business has its weaknesses, there is something steady and calm, sure and confident here. I know I have said it before, but while this company is brimming over with brilliant and vibrant minds, there is something so sincere and honest that it eliminates the veritable "Clash of the Egos."

I could describe the workplace, the daily nutritious meals catered for the employees, the hearty conversations in a comfortable lunchroom, the meditation room complete with hanging air plants strung from the ceiling, the healthy snacks and drinks available to all at anytime (no quarters required), the weekend sailing club that builds even more unity among employees, the whiteboard walls and pillars where employees are free to express their creativity...

All of this sounds so hollow and shallow without the heart of the company. Perhaps it's something in the reverse-osmosis filtered water that provides the rich soil for innovation and creativity. I can't quite put my finger on why and how this all works. Respect? Trust? Humility? Integrity? Equality? Official titles like, "Thinker?" It just works, and I am so grateful to be a part of it.

Auto-Tweeting: Making Presentations Interactive Again - Part 2

2011-05-27T15:46:00.000-07:00

How to AutoTweet with PowerPoint:

1. It seems obvious to say that the first step is creating a Twitter account, but years of experience have shown that sometimes the obvious must be stated. To be sure, you also need PowerPoint. Wink, wink.

2. Go to SuperTweet and sign in using your Twitter username and password. http://www.supertweet.net/

3. Download the respective tool you will need for your version of PowerPoint. Using these links will generate an automatic download:

If you have MS Office PowerPoint 2007: sapweb20.com/blog/ppttools/Autotweet.ppam

If you have MS Office PowerPoint 2003 or 2010: sapweb20.com/blog/ppttools/Autotweet.ppa

4. Open the downloaded executable file. It will appear as if nothing has happened except that PowerPoint opened, but you will notice that there will now be a menu item titled "AutoTweet" may(or may not yet) appear on your toolbar. If PowerPoint asks you to enable or disable macros, enable them.

5. In PowerPoint, click on the office button and select "PowerPoint Options" as shown below:

6. This will bring up the PowerPoint Options window. Click "Add-ins" in the left navigation bar to bring up the window below.

If AutoTweet shows up under "Active Application Add-ins," you are ready to go. Click OK and skip to step 8. If AutoTweet does not show up under "Active Application Add-ins," look at the bottom of this window, and under the "Manage" drop down list, select "PowerPoint Add-ins" and then click "Go."

7. If you have properly downloaded and installed the files mentioned in step 3, the AutoTweet add-in should appear in this list. If it does appear, check the box next to the add-in to load it into PowerPoint. If it does not appear in this list, you may click "Add New" and try to browse to where you downloaded the file, or just start back at step 3. If it now appears in your "Active Application Add-ins," click OK and continue to step 8.

8. Your PowerPoint Toolbar or 'Ribbon' should include a tab titled "Add-ins." (If not, you may need to download the Add-ins ribbon from the Microsoft Office website.) If the Add-ins ribbon is properly loaded, it should look like the image below clicking on the Add-ins tab. AutoTweet should appear as one of the options on the Ad-ins ribbon. Click on "AutoTweet" to make the final steps to connect PowerPoint with Twitter.

9. After clicking on "AutoTweet" on the "Add-ins" ribbon, the window shown below will appear. You will want to remember how to get to this window because this window allows you to turn AutoTweeting off and on by clicking a single button after it is set up. (You will want to turn AutoTweeting "off" while doing a test run so that all of your tweets aren't generated before you give your presentation!)

You will notice in the window above that you can add text or hashtags after each tweet. This will make it easier for those following a conference hashtag to locate your posts. You may include more than one hashtag. You may also opt to display the successful status of tweets. When you are starting out, this is helpful to know if your Internet connection has gone down and is therefore blocking your posts.

It also lets attendees know when something has been posted so that they can follow along. Once you have filled in this window, click OK, and you are ready to start tweeting! You will want to turn AutoTweets "on" at the top of this window so that you can test your setup and make sure everything is working prior to your presentation. Also, when you are ready to present, make sure you remember to turn AutoTweeting on to make sure your hard work isn't in vain.

10. AutoTweeting: With PowerPoint properly set up to AutoTweet, you are now ready to do a test run. Remember, when you are in editing mode, your tweets will not post even if AutoTweeting is turned on. It is only in Slideshow mode that they will post to Twitter. In the notes section below the first slide of your presentation (or any slide where you want the tweet to post), type:

[twitter] Testing AutoTweeting [/twitter]

Go to slideshow mode, and when you land on the slide where that code was included in the notes, a tweet will be generated! If the tweet isn't generated, go back through the last few steps to check your settings and password in SuperTweet.

For more ideas on how to use AutoTweeting, please read Part 1 of this article.

Curious minds want to know: How many times does the word "tweet" appear in this post?"

Auto-Tweeting: Making Presentations Interactive Again - Part1

2011-05-16T10:08:00.000-07:00

We have all been there: we find THE lecture that we are dying to hear about, only to discover that the presenter has packed 150 slides into the hour time limit, and every time she shows a new URL, everyone scrambles to write it down before she races off to the next slide. Fifteen minutes in, and you are exhausted at the amount of information coming at you. It's after lunch, and that BBQ beef sandwich with fries is slowly sending you into a food coma. Before you know it, you are the only one in the classroom and the lights have been considerately turned off to aid your long winter's nap. You look down at your laptop and find a note:

"You were snoring. You might want to have that looked at."

Even presenters who take the time to carefully prepare may find class members wandering off to Twitter to find the latest humorous tweet. Perhaps you've experienced a class where attendees type madly on their iPads and notebook computers, stifling laughter as they comment on the viral ultimate dog tease video on YouTube. It may have little to do with the presenter, and everything to do with the overwhelming need to interact with fellow class members.

Lectures are limited in allowing for student interaction, even with vibrant PowerPoint presentations. According to Ignacio Estrada, "If a child can't learn the way we teach, maybe we should teach the way they learn." That would require customizing the learning experience to the student rather than following the same models we have used to convey knowledge at conferences and even in classrooms for many years.

It appears that this concept has been around for much longer than computers. Benjamin Franklin allegedly said, “Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn." Alas, many solutions may exist to help accomplish this, including interactive clickers and surveys, but these require expensive tools and software that are not readily available to most presenters. Perhaps that is easier said than done, but one solution may achieve enough involvement to make conference presentations truly interactive. Enter: Auto-Tweeting.

Auto-Tweeting works with Macs or PCs. It costs nothing beyond the purchase of software like Microsoft PowerPoint or Keynote for Macs. Here's how it works:

After downloading the necessary drivers and toolbars, you add a little "code" in the notes section of your presentation. Once you turn the auto-tweeting feature "on," a pre-defined tweet is generated when you land on a slide while you are in slideshow mode. The pre-determined tweet is typed between two tags, for example: [twitter] Your tweet goes here. Links work too! [/twitter]

At NGS 2011, I taught a presentation on several little-known FamilySearch products. Rather than waiting for everyone to write down each URL, I generated the URL with a tweet. This allowed class members to follow along on their computers, iPads, or mobile devices. It also permitted me to include important details that were helpful, but that I didn't have time to cover during the presentation. It gave a much more robust learning experience without taking much more preparation time and for no additional expense on my end.

Also, class members without access to Twitter during the class could go back later and locate my notes, URL links, and other details by simply writing down my Twitter username, fsanne. I was able to cover all of the content in my class, plus some extra information. I have already started planning more innovative ways to implement auto-tweeting into future presentations.

Auto-tweeting could add a rich dynamic to conference presentations, work presentations, university and high school courses, and in many other settings. It's a great interactive tool that reaches out to improve teaching by involving class members and taking the learning into social media tools that they may be using on a daily basis.

Auto-tweeting was brought to my attention by revolutionary Fran Jensen, a forward-thinking Community Manager at FamilySearch. There are several online instruction sheets explaining how to set it up, however, the process took much longer than I expected because it was so unclear how to download the necessary files. I have created my own sheet on how to set up auto-tweeting, and will include it in my next post, coming soon to The TechnoGenealogist!

RootsTech: A Replacement for Genealogy Conferences?

2011-03-15T11:05:00.000-07:00

Competing or Complementary?

Some have contested that RootsTech is killing smaller conferences and negatively impacting the attendance at genealogical events. Long before the RootsTech call for papers was released, I knew there was no need nor intention to compete with genealogical conferences. Although I allowed the program selection committees to make their own decisions about which classes they selected for the program, I did instruct them to this end: classes that were strictly genealogical in nature should not be included in the program. To better define this, I explained that genealogy has become so inseparably connected with the Internet, that a class on genealogy that mentions the use of a website (or multiple websites) did not qualify as a "technical" class.

With that background, I recommended that classes that were genealogical in nature and heavily weighted technical should be included in the technology user program. Also, classes that were technical, but not necessarily genealogical should also be included in the program.

One segment we did not attempt to address were those who needed technical instruction from the ground up. Despite our efforts to not focus on content for these individuals, we found that the demand for technical training among genealogists is so great, that even these technical fledglings were eager to attend to receive some technical education. Their need is so great, but the opportunities to receive beginning technical training on genealogical products is limited.

To those conferences whose attendance has waned, I would ask these questions:

Is there an opportunity for providing hands-on training from the ground-up for this large number of technology beginners who have an interest in (or may be skilled at) genealogy?
Are the classes being offered similar to, or the same as classes offered in the past? If so, are those classes still interesting to attendees?
Do attendees want something new?
What content would attendees value the most?

Based on my meager observations at RootsTech, the demand for technical training on websites, software applications, and even the basics of computer use are so great that there are many opportunities available to meet these needs. These do not require elaborate computer labs, just good instructors who are willing to take the time to prepare clear, detailed, and professional presentations, accompanied with detailed step-by-step instructions (that might take up more space than four pages).

I don't know the answers for each concern or question, but I do know that RootsTech was not intended to address all of the technical needs of genealogists, nor to replace genealogy conferences. Those pursuing a genealogical education will find themselves in want if they rely solely on RootsTech to provide them with that education. Conferences and educational opportunities like NGS complement RootsTech by providing the in-depth knowledge needed to navigate through electronic resources. Additional educational opportunities include, but are not limited to local and international genealogical and historical societies/organizations, FGS, IGHR SLIG, Family History Expos and many, many more.

As one who believes in letting users influence what we create for them, I am often heard to say, if you want to know what users want, ask them!

Google: An Alternate Reality?

2011-03-03T14:15:00.000-08:00

I recently purchased an Android phone. I am accustomed to using an iPhone, and was oddly surprised to realize that Android phones, like all Google products, did not attempt to mask its purpose to gather personal information to customize marketing to each customer. For those who didn't understand a word of what I just said, let me explain.

When you use the Google Search Engine to locate a French Bakery, it locates what you are searching for. There are some great products that Google offers: Google Docs, Google Chrome, Google Wave, Google Earth, Blogger, YouTube, Google Analytics, Gmail and more. You need an account to use each of these tools. This account requires that you include your location and other details about yourself. The next time you search, it may 'remember' information about you to customize your search based on your IP address. For example, rather than searching for every French Bakery, it may show you the French Bakeries that are in close proximity to your location, even without GPS indicators.

Now when you visit your favorite blog, the ads that show up may be customized to you, not unlike Facebook ads. If searches are so smart, is it possible they could alter our perspective of the world? While we all get annoyed when a search engine query returns a lot of irrelevant information, is it healthy to limit that information to only what the search algorithms deem are relevant to us?

Fortunately, Google is always adjusting their search algorithms to improve the search experience, and in their own words, they take the responsibility of your privacy seriously by letting "you know what information [they] collect when you use [their] products and services, why [they] collect it and how [they] use it to improve your experience." After all, nobody is making you use any of their products.

What does all of this mean for me? Will I stop using Google products because I know what they are up to? Absolutely not. I love using Google Chrome, Google Translate, Google Earth, and many of their other offerings. Still, it is helpful to understand your options, including the opt-out option, detailed in the Google Privacy Center.

Also, as much as I love the Google search engine, it isn't a bad idea to take a look at other options now and again, remembering that each search engine will return different information because the search algorithms are all designed to locate information in different ways. View a comprehensive list of search engines. While the possibilities of Google shrinking our world to meet our individual needs is unlikely, I am always grateful when I can stumble onto something that my normal Internet meanderings may not include.

Fact or Fiction? Did Tech Users REALLY Talk to Tech Creators at RootsTech?

2011-02-26T05:38:00.000-08:00

In theory, RootsTech was supposed to bring people together. It made huge claims like "shaping the future of family history." It claimed that people from two distinctly different backgrounds would "connect and collaborate." Enter geek who speaks code (she- AND he-geeks) and add in a bunch of folks who MIGHT be old enough to be geek's grandparents (and some who break the laws of nature by doing Family History before reaching the age of 65). This looks like fun, right? So how much did these two groups actually speak to each other?

I knew that the first year would be tough. We were, after all, breaking the mold of genealogy conferences. We might get a few timid souls to wander out of their reserved wall-flower seating like a Middle School dance with one group indifferent, and the other jittery and eager, but not sure what to say. At worst it could wind up like a replay of Remember the Titans where two groups thrown together resisted this seemingly unnatural combination rather forcefully for the first year, only to come together victoriously in years to come. Oil and water? Peanut butter and jam? No one could really tell. Well, the numbers are in.

I was astonished to learn that a whopping 72% of attendees participated in collaboration between technology users and technology creators. No, this isn't just genealogists speaking with genealogists, or developers speaking to developers, this is a harmonious combination of both groups! Almost 3/4 of all attendees caught the vision and connected!

Where does this leave us for 2012? The future looks bright. Maybe we really will be like the Titans after all, minus the conflict: two groups who are more alike than they realized at a glance, working together to achieve a common goal.

What Now?

2011-02-25T09:51:00.001-08:00

RT quote of the week: It was sort of like Disney World for genealogists – the happiest place on earth. -- Thomas MacEntee

We have received such excellent feedback from so many places on what to do differently at RootsTech next year, from getting class descriptions up earlier (#1 feedback) to reconsidering the backdrop in the plenary sessions (see Twitter for details). What's next? Well, inside the hallways of FamilySearch, we are gearing up to post some of the much requested broadcast sessions. I am working on a RT Playbook, collecting all of the contact information, feedback, and how-to-avoid-this-issue-next-time advice for the next round.

I just received the final list of recorded sessions yesterday from our amazing AV crew who worked hard to capture via Camtasia approximately 60 sessions. No details are being announced at this time with these sessions, but know that I am a big advocate of respecting individual ownership of material. Any such release would include a copyright statement that would not allow public viewings of these sessions. We don't pay our presenters, but we do want them to come back next year, so we ask all to honor their hard work, including not copying and distributing their syllabus material.

What's next for 2012? Rather than just feedback on 2011, I want to know how you would design 2012! Who do you want to see again? What new topics should we include? Who is your favorite speaker that you felt we overlooked this year? Would you like to see a giant chess set in the playground? What should the evening event be?

Fly on the Wall of the RootsTech Debriefing Meetings

2011-02-18T16:55:00.000-08:00

Despite everyone's recommendations to take a rest after RT, this week has been anything but restful for me. Sometimes it is just that important to make sure we process all of the great ideas and feedback we received on how to improve YOUR conference.

On Monday and Tuesday I watched as blogs, tweets, YouTube videos, and other buzz unfolded across cyberspace. I think my favorite was the Waaa badge from a blogger who wanted to be at RT, but got sick.

Tuesday evening I was in a bit of a quandary when I arrived home and {shock} did not have to keep working on RT until 2 AM as I have for the past several months! Just to keep things lively, I hammered out my taxes that night (because I love to do my taxes, of course).

Wednesday I met with the conference committee to gather their reports and begin the post-mortem process. On Thursday I was corrected by Laura Prescott on Facebook for calling the debriefing a post-mortem, since RootsTech was anything but dead! I then pulled my {hopefully} last all-nighter on RT, compiling the numbers and feedback into a lovely PPT for our CEO, Jay Verkler the next day.

Since you weren't there, and since this is your conference, you should know that there was a lot of talk about how to make this better. We were discussing YOUR feedback, and sharing what we heard from YOU that would make RT better! There was a lot of discussion about how we could get a community website up FAST and how this isn't about just a conference. This is about connections and communicating with one another.

We talked about having YOU help us develop next year's conference, learning what topics and speakers you felt were missing, and many more ideas. Every time we discussed this or that change, I said, "We should ask the attendees what they think of that before we make that decision," and Jay readily agreed each time.

What does this all mean? It means we have something amazing! I have seen so many already "owning" RootsTech, like the great blogger who posted the RootsTech Daily. Illya D'Addezio sent me a message on Facebook, showing me how he implemented the learnings from my Text-to-Speech class on his website - just click on the "ear" located in the top righthand corner to aurally "read" his blog! We also received several kind notes discussing a task force on how to help update societies technically, a possible product of Jay Verkler's Unconferencing session on Societies and Technology. There have also been several developer groups buzzing about building a new Genealogy Data Standard, also a product of RT's collaborative session on that subject! Thanks to everyone who took the time to send me feedback. I am drafting a play book for RT, so my next question is, what should be the governing principles, the constitution to keep those parts of RT that you loved alive? Minds like mine want to know!

RootsTech Badge of Honor

2011-02-17T16:15:00.000-08:00

Today I downloaded the list of RootTech Registrants. In addition to the main conference, we held a free event held alongside of the conference. Family History Consultants could attend two free training classes on FamilySearch products. I started sorting through to get an approximate number of those who attended both events. To help determine this I sorted the list by first and last name and manually searched through for duplicate registrants.

As I scanned the names, I noticed Dan Lawyer's name on the list, registered twice. I was about to move on when I noticed something different about this entry. For those of you who don't know Dan, he worked for FamilySearch until only a few days before RootsTech began. He was the lead Product Manager over the new website, FamilySearch.org, and has worked for many years to integrate the various products in the FamilySearch lineup into one homogeneous experience. In a word, he was a rock star in the eyes of FamilySearch employees and peers.

His personal career objectives led him to accept an opportunity to work for Paul Allen of FamilyLink.com, another great innovator in the genealogy software industry. So, what was different about Dan's duplicate entry? The second entry was not for the consultant training.

While working at FamilySearch, Dan had registered using a special code. The code allowed FamilySearch employees to register through an internal account without having to go through the process of using corporate credit cards and later getting reimbursed for the expense.

Dan had registered a second time, this time paying the maximum conference rate of $150.00. I was so impressed with his honesty. He hadn't asked for a discount or an exception. At the time he registered, he HAD been an employee, and yet he gallantly registered a second time. Kudos to Dan for this continued great example as an amazing leader, and for his quiet integrity when nobody was looking.

RootsTech Behind the Scenes

2011-02-14T13:23:00.000-08:00

I have heard from so many individuals about the amazing connections and networking that took place throughout the conference. It was such a delight to see the faces of the 3000 registrants and many took the time to find me and thank me, even the woman who got mad at me for not letting her into the room while we were waiting for the CTO of HP to come in with his security detail.

Production Crew

We had a full production crew for the plenary room, and three excellent keynote speakers. Because of the large scale production, lighting, sound system, and scripting, we had a "voice of God" introduce us each time we went on stage, and someone waiting to push us on just at the right moment. Each of us had a stinger; a music clip that played just before our VOG, and then "Ladies and Gentlemen, please welcome...!"

Plenary Podium

We arrived early to get miked up, complete with a fitted earpiece and wire down the back. I started each day welcoming everyone, asking how many participated in the events the evening before, and moved on to intro the CEO of the sponsoring company. The CEO would then intro the keynote speaker, and the keynote would be pushed on to the stage. The rest of us would hang out in the green room for the next forty minutes, listening to the keynote and chatting. What a great opportunity to interface with these amazing individuals. I appreciated getting to speak with these great men, Brewster Kahle, Tim Sullivan, Chris van der Kuyl, Curt Witcher, and Shane Robison.

Collaborative Discussions

After each interaction, I received a LinkedIn invitation, which is rather cool, I must confess. At our VIP breakfast I sat across from a manager from Microsoft and told him that I felt they were sorely mismarketing OneNote by only adding it to the professional version of the software when it was a tool that had many everyday applications. He thanked me and told me he was going to run my ideas up the line, and then offered me a 2010 Pro suite. I am not stupid, so of course I accepted. True to his word, 2010 Office Pro arrived at the marketing division's office via Fed Ex on Monday morning, complete with a thank you note.

I met with VeriSign, who was very interested in building a relationship with us, and Google showed up as well at the request of Dan Lynch, Mr. Google Your Family Tree himself. Given all of our Google sessions, it would be great to have them there again next year.

Microsoft Sponsored Playground:

As we got ready for the closing session, where I finally fit in some laughables about the naming process, my CEO said for the 150th time, "We REALLY need to figure out how we can keep you involved next year."

Cyber Cafe

I thought for a minute, and then said, "I won't be the chair, but I will be an advisor." Then, as my mind flashed forward to another great set of green room chats, I added, "Oh, and if you want me to MC again, I'll be happy to do that, too."

Media Hub (getting set up)

Programmers and Genealogists: Just How Different Are We?

2011-02-14T12:50:00.000-08:00

When I agreed to design, manage, and chair RT last year, it certainly was not my intention to set a new standard for genealogy conferences across the board, and yet that is a piece of feedback I have received repeatedly. My main objective was raising the genealogical accuracy of software and raising the technological capabilities of genealogists, so that some day in the future, these two groups would be able to intelligently communicate in a positive and productive manner. This has been my objective for the past five years and RT was a great mechanism to bring this about.

Here are the top ten things that I have learned through my journey of trying to unify technology and genealogy:

1. Expecting everyone who wants to do genealogy to become a professional genealogist is equivalent to expecting everyone who wants to use a computer program to learn how to program - as in code (real code, by the way; not html, folks).

2. You can never replace professional genealogical knowledge with machines, but we still need to solve the problem of helping those novices correctly connect families and individuals so that we don't keep perpetuating garbage family trees. (Also, we need a thorough, kind, and comprehensive way to send garbage family trees to the incinerator when we find them so that bad data isn't perpetuated.)

3. When you tell a programmer what a crappy job he did on a computer program, it probably feels the same as someone who comes along and tears apart the hard work and effort you may have invested in a year-long credentialing project. Computer programs have a soul of their own and deserve our respect even if they don't meet our needs.

4. It's better to come prepared with solutions to the problems you see rather than just whine about the problems. That includes feedback on software. God loves everybody but the whiners.

5. When you speak to a software developer or programmer, he or she is not thinking about the user interface - that would be the designer who makes it all pretty, so it's worthless to tell a programmer that you don't like how a program looks, or where the toolbar is placed, or any of that visual stuff.

6. Software developers are usually too nice or too scared of genealogists to tell them that they are not responsible for any of the visual stuff, so your feedback will likely fall on deaf ears. They manage the "back-end" of the program.

7. Software developers will appreciate if you ask for what you want in a program in terms of user stories. For example, "As a user, when I come to the website, I am able to place all of my digital documents for an ancestor in one location. As a user, I am easily able to recall all digital materials associated with a specific ancestor at the click of a button." You don't tell them where the button should be or what color you'd like, just what you want the program to DO.

8. Software developers are proud of their hard work. Look for what is good about what they produced and tell them!

9. Genealogists place as many (or more) software demands on developers as high-end gamers! This is a cutting-edge industry where developers have to stay on top of their game!

10. We aren't so different, really. Nobody wants to hear what I have to say when I am doing computer programming, and nobody wants to hear what I have to say when I am doing genealogy. I guess those two halves of me have a lot in common! I am getting really good at loving both of these activities even if my family and close friends really don't want to hear about them. Both of these groups should be incredibly good listeners by now! :)

We both love solving problems, we both are treated like social lepers when we attempt to discuss our respective occupations, and we both care about getting the job done right. I think it's our differences that ultimately bring these two groups together.

Why RootsTech?

2010-11-19T08:19:00.000-08:00

During the past few months, I have had the privilege of working with some of the finest individuals on the planet. These are quality people who have been innovators, self-starters, and have executed with precision under some of the most strenuous timelines imaginable. I have also had the privilege of experiencing the excitement of many technology users and technology creators as they prepare for this new and exciting event.

From the moment I started working on RootsTech in July of 2010, I made it very clear that I needed a successor for 2012. I wanted this to feel like a community effort, and not as a conference owned by a single individual. I also knew that RootsTech 2011 would set the stage for an even more amazing conference in 2012. I would never recommend putting on a conference in eight months, let alone completely design a new conference as well in that time frame. Nevertheless, I thrive on a challenge, and felt it was an excellent opportunity that would finally help me accomplish what I have been trying to do since I came to FamilySearch: Create unity.

On many occasions I have been encouraged and urged to continue to chair RootsTech. While I appreciate the many wonderful compliments, my convictions about chairing only for 2011 have not changed. RootsTech is about community. I am a member of that community, both as a student of Computer Science, and a certified and accredited genealogist. I hope to participate in future years as a community member. It's your conference, my conference, our conference.

For nearly the past four years I have worked as a community manager. I have always felt that it was my role to serve the technological and genealogical communities by helping them come together. In line with that belief, I agreed to help breathe life into RootsTech, and then step into the community of those who ultimately own RootsTech. It is my hope that both technology users and technology creators will feel ownership of this conference.

I am so grateful for the opportunity to be a part of this great event. It will be an experience that I will never forget. I cannot claim credit for the success of RootsTech. The success belongs to the outstanding band of committee chairs and members who worked so hard to pull this off. The success belongs to the hundreds of volunteers who offered their time and talents to help support this event. The success belongs to the speakers who prepared and presented over a hundred innovative and collaborative classes. And finally, the success belongs to each and every one of you who chose to participate in RootsTech 2011.

While RootsTech 2011 won’t go down in history as the most perfectly planned and executed conference, I believe that it will go forward as the conference that helped build the future of family history and genealogy into something magnificent.

15 Million New Indexed Records!

2010-11-18T13:44:00.000-08:00

A Lot to Be Thankful For: 15 Million New Indexed Genealogical Records

Digital images and indexes include 34 collections from 13 countries

The collection of indexes and images available on FamilySearch’s beta website continues to grow by leaps and bounds, with the addition of 34 collections of genealogical records. These records include 15 million indexed records and 2.5 million images. The bounty of information covers 13 different countries around the world: Mexico, Chile, Colombia, Honduras, Guatemala, Brazil, France, Spain, Germany, Belgium, Jamaica, Canada, and the United States. Search these records now at Beta.FamilySearch.org.

See the chart below for the complete list of newly added or updated collections.

Project	Digital Images	Indexed Records	Comments
Belgium Marriages, 1563-1890	0	58,674	Index only.
Belgium, Antwerp Police Immigration Index, 1840-1930	5,417	343,930	New records and images. This is an index of immigration dossiers compiled by the Antwerp police force between 1840 and 1930. Presently, the immigration dossiers are only available on microfilm, so this publication allows us to reference these dossiers.
Brazil, Church Records, 1814-1930	93,787	0	New images for Ribeirao Preto, Bauru, Rio Preto, Santo Andre, Novo Hamburgo, Passo Fundo
Canada, Ontario Births, 1869-1912	54,121	164,139	New images and records
Chile, Concepcion, Civil Registration, 1885-1903	19,389	70,450	New images and records
Colombia, Diocese of Cúcuta Parish Registers,1762-1996	465,172	0	New images added to existing collection
France Births and Baptisms, 1546-1896	0	6,779,071	Index only
Germany, Bremen Passenger Departure Lists, 1904-1914	44,465	44,315	New images and records
Guatemala, Guatemala City, Sagrario Parish Baptisms, 1898-1920	7,748	0	New images added to existing collection
Honduras, Tegucigalpa – Baptisms, 1895-1931	3,790	26,521	New images and records
Jamaica, Church of England Parish Register Transcripts, 1664-1880	37,199	0	New images added to existing collection
Jamaica, Civil Births 1878-1899	247,593	260,500	New images and records
Mexico Census, 1930	2,302	1,165,649	New images and records added to existing collection (Michoacan, Nuevo Leon, Zacatecas)
Spain, Avila–Catholic Church Records, 1500-1930	26,298	0	New images added to existing collection
Spain, Catastro de Ensenada, 1749-1756	375,988	0	New images added to existing collection
U.S., Arizona, Service Records of Confederate Soldiers of the Civil War, 1861-1863	0	1,173	Index only. Data courtesy of Footnote.com
U.S., Arkansas County Marriages, 1837-1957	0	94,181	New records added to existing collection
U.S., Georgia –Death Records, 1928-1930	123,416	0	New images added to existing collection
U.S., Index to Naturalizations of World War I Soldiers, 1918	0	18,324	Index only. Data courtesy of Footnote.com
U.S., Louisiana, Eastern District Naturalization Petitions, 1838-1861	0	1,450	Index only. Data courtesy of Footnote.com
U.S., Maryland, Naturalization Indexes, 1797-1951	0	85,222	Index only. Data courtesy of Footnote.com
U.S., Maryland, Naturalization Petitions, 1906-1931	0	45,165	Index only. Data courtesy of Footnote.com
U.S., Massachusetts Naturalization Index, 1906-1966	0	388,086	Index only. Data courtesy of Footnote.com
U.S., Minnesota, State Census, 1865	3,396	246,591	New images and records
U.S., Mormon Battalion Pension Applications, 1846-1923	0	26,830	Index only. Data courtesy of Footnote.com
U.S., New York State Census, 1905	0	3,601,920	New records for the following counties: Albany, Bronx, Broome, Columbia, Essex, Franklin, Greene, Hamilton, Herkimer, Jefferson, Lewis, Madison, New York, Onondaga, Oswego, Seneca, Warren and Yates. This release completes this collection.
U.S., New York, Eastern District Naturalization Petitions, 1865-1957	0	675,035	Index only. Data courtesy of Footnote.com
U.S., New York, Western District, Naturalization Index, 1907-1966	0	89,554	Index only. Data courtesy of Footnote.com
U.S., Oklahoma, Applications for Enrollment of the Commission to the Five Civilized Tribes, 1898-1914	0	882,272	Index only. Data courtesy of Footnote.com
U.S., Rhode Island, State Census, 1885	10,844	321,999	New images and records
U.S., Rhode Island, State Census, 1905	954,549	474,152	New images and records. This census was taken on a two-sided form where only one person appears on each form.
U.S., South Dakota State Census, 1945	0	546,305	New records added to existing collection
U.S., Tennessee County Marriages, 1790-1950	0	14,098	New records added to existing collection
U.S., Utah, Territorial Case Files of the U.S., District Courts, 1870-1896	0	39,040	Data courtesy of Footnote.com

Virtual Storage: Is Your Back-up Safe and Secure?

2010-11-16T07:59:00.000-08:00

It amazes me how easily virtual storage is misunderstood. There are those who believe that just because something is saved in a virtual environment, it is safe and secure. About a year and a half ago I decided to investigate just how accurate this belief is. I presented the results of my research at a technology conference. The slides and paper are available online.

Since publishing this paper, I am sure there are many more virtual storage options are available. Even as I was doing the research and attempting to be complete in my analysis, I noticed more companies pop up. Understanding the various layers involved in virtual storage could impact the security and longevity of that data. For those not interested in reviewing the complete paper, here are a few critical questions to ask when seeking out a virtual storage provider:

1. Who owns the facility in which the data is stored?

2. Who owns the land on which the facility is built?

3. Who manages the security of the facility?

4. Who makes sure that the power, air conditioning, and air quality is maintained in the facility?

5. Is there a back-up power system in case power should go down? What is it? If it's fuel-based, is there a reserve of fuel available nearby to help keep the power on (and the data online)?

6. Is there a back-up system for the air conditioner? If the cooling system fails and the power keeps running, the servers could burn up, damaging data.

7. Is there location redundancy, meaning that a copy of the data is stored someplace far enough away that your data will still be available in case of a natural disaster where the original data is stored?

8. Is the equipment on which your data is stored up to date, or is it built on equipment whose vendor has gone out of business? If additional servers need to be added or replaced, will they work with the old servers without taking your data offline to do so?

9. Who owns the equipment on which the data is stored?

10. What happens to your data if the company who is leasing the servers goes out of business?

These are just a few of the many critical questions one must ask to understand how secure online storage systems really are, but there are many more. Many companies do not own the land, the facilities, or the equipment on which your data is stored. Many do not monitor the servers, but are instead a retail company that rents space on another company's servers.

While virtual storage has many important strengths, remember to choose a company with a good reputation. Companies that have detailed information about the facility and equipment on which the data is stored are generally more reliable. The less a company understands about how and where your data is stored, the more vulnerable your data could be. This not only applies to online storage systems, but any company that stores data that belongs to you.

Learn more about virtual storage.

Learn more about best storage strategies from an earlier published paper, also presented at the Technology Workshop.

What's the Difference Between an AG and a CG?

2010-01-19T11:52:00.000-08:00

Last week welcomed the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy to Salt Lake City, where the Board for Certification of Genealogists and ICAPGen joined forces for the first time to educate genealogists about the Accredited Genealogist (AG) Credential and the Board for Certification of Genealogist (CG) Credential. Presidents of both organizations attended each track, and participants had the opportunity to learn about the elements of each credential, and to understand the differences between both credentials.

As one who holds both credentials, I included a Q&A as part of my course on Digital Resources and Databases, and included information about each credentials. One student exclaimed, "So they really compliment each other!" Truly, genealogists should consider getting both credentials to stretch their own knowledge and help them understand elements of the profession they otherwise may not understand. The AG tests a researcher's instant recall capability, by testing researcher's knowledge of area-specific resources. The CG tests the analytic skills of a researcher, and also places a great deal of emphasis on the sources and genealogy of a record, as well as writing style. For more information about the difference between an AG and a CG, please feel free to contact me at roacha {at} familysearch {dot} org.

For a list of the databases and websites I collected, please visit: https://wiki.familysearch.org/en/Digital_Resources_for_Credentialing_Researchers

What's New at FamilySearch

2010-01-06T08:36:00.000-08:00

Just a little update on some of our new additions to the Record Search collection.
* Washington State County Marriages, 1858-1950
* England, Cheshire Parish records, 1538-2000
* Cheshire Bishops' Transcripts, 1598-1900
* Germany, Baden, Bonndorf Church Book Duplicates,1810 -1869

Updated:
* Brazil, Catholic Church Records
* Florida State Census, 1935 & 1945
* England, Cheshire Non-conformist records, 1671-1700
* 1920 United States Census

The Cheshire Burials, Christenings & Marriages were removed.

Preserving Holiday Memories

2010-01-04T10:13:00.000-08:00

My grandfather kept a journal of the funny one-liners that came out of the mouths of his grandchildren. One of my personal favorites was in response to my grandmother attempting to feed my cousin something less than appealing, "I'm trying, but my tongue just keeps pushing it out!" I recently found one family's blog that preserved one-liners in a similar way. My favorite entry, however, was the children's "Bill of Christmas Rights" letter.

What better time than the holidays to gather information on family members! This is a time when you may have listened to that same old story from Aunt Nell, or perhaps grandpa finally shared his wartime experiences with you. Perhaps grandma showed you her journals, and you mustered up the courage to ask her if you could inherit them! Now, what do you do with this new information before it slips away from existence? Here are a few ideas:
1. Start a family memories book and jot just a line or two each day.

2. Begin a family blog. Blogs may be private so only family members may read them.

3. If you inherited journals from a deceased relative, transcribe them a little at a time using an online publishing tool such as a blog, or online document manager.

4. Write and illustrate a children's book that is based on a family story. Check your facts for accuracy, and then self-publish the bookonline publishing site such as Lulu.com. If you start early, these may be great presents for next Christmas!

There are countless possibilities for preserving family memories!

Let's Get Together: The New Genealogy Trend

2009-12-11T07:33:00.000-08:00

I took some time yesterday to take a closer look at some of the non-FamilySearch products. It is interesting to me to see such a great push toward new collaborative efforts. Almost every product I examined had some form of collaboration tool. Take, for example, myfamily.com. This website is built on a collaboration-friendly platform with some fabulous UI work to boot! It keeps things very simple and streamline. For a quick glimpse, check out the features tour. Doesn't everyone need one of these on their website? I think they do.

Mr. Quass' site, werelate.com is another great collaboration tool. He likewise has a tour, which he creatively titles a "helicopter ride." Dallan has incorporated a nominate feature in his genealogy wiki.

One of my personal favorites for collaborative features is the facial recognition software integrated into MyHeritage. What better way to collaborate than to share those nameless family photos?

PC vs Mac

2009-12-10T10:31:00.001-08:00

In general, most people are issued PCs in our department with some sparse exceptions. That being said, several individuals bring along their own personal Mac computers out of preference. At home I have a Gateway and an HP PC, and while the Gateway does not undergo the same stress tests that the HP endures, it has held up much better than the HP in the long run.

Here is what happens when a computer gets tired of how you are using it:
It wakes up at random moments, completely of its own volition, and glances around the room. It dreams of escaping into some other world where someone does not attempt to load massive amounts of resource-intensive software onto its drives, and then run several of those programs simultaneously, until, exhausted, the HP gets that deer-in-the-headlights look on its screen, and fails to do another thing.

I have been flirting with the idea of purchasing a Mac. After all, you can't crash a Mac, right? So I am told, and yet I have. No, I am not talking about some aged limping Mac, I am talking about powerful, high-end, brand new, AV Macs. So that argument just doesn't win it for me. There are many programs that don't work quite the same on Macs, and since I have already invested in oh, so much software, it seems a bit absurd to have to purchase yet another version of said software in order to use it on said Mac. I do own a Windows OS that I could run on the other side of the Mac so that it may boot up on either side, this is true. Mac has done amazing things with their marketing, customer service, and other elements that are very appealing.

Today I received a notification of the HP Envy. While I am not completely sold on the idea, I must admit I was swayed at the prospect of owning a streamline laptop with Raid 0, Quad core processor, 16 GB DDR, 7+ hour battery life expandable up to 18 hours, and built in hard drive protection, not to mention the graphics and audio quality. Now, if they could just get rid of those high-gloss screens, we might have something to talk about. While I am not swayed either way at this point, this does throw a competitive edge into my decision.

A Wave of Relief

2009-12-03T13:48:00.000-08:00

Well, the wait is over - I have waved. Google-waved, that is! And what a fun experience. Allen Tietjen tried to send me an invitation, but for some reason, it didn't work, so recently Darin Hakes invited me. We waved, which was really a nice test run to try out the tool, and then later, Diane Loosle Skyped me from the airport. Once she found out I was on wave, we decided to wave instead, and then it got really fun with loading pictures, colored text, and other features. This could have great potential for community interaction. I can't wait until they get the rest of the bots running in Wave, and other affiliate products. It will really be a step up from IMing and even Google Docs.

Brothers Grimm Dictionary Online!

2009-11-18T12:25:00.000-08:00

Once upon a time there were two brothers who, like their namesake, told very "Grimm" stories indeed, and gave us the very fairytale world with which we were raised! In all of their travels and labors, they also wrote a dictionary!

For those German Genealogists out there, how frustrating is it when you stumble across an occupation or phrase that makes absolutely no sense, and also doesn't appear in any genealogy word list or German Dictionary? Indeed, nothing can be more frustrating! Some of you may have had the opportunity to use the Grimms Dictionary, but often it contains words found nowhere else. Here is the kicker: You have to know what you are doing to use this fella.

If you don't know how to read German, here is what you will need:
A regular German to English dictionary
A computer to access the Grimms dictionary online

1. Take the unusual word, and locate it in the Grimms online dictionary
2. Use the regular German to English dictionary to look up words in the definition until you understand what the original German word means. If you are still not sure, you may:
a. learn German
b. make friends with someone who speaks/reads German
c. stop by a local university and promise doughnuts to German students if they will help you
d. copy the definition into Google translator - hey, it's not perfect, but it just might do the trick!

If you do read German, then you know what to do.

Writing Stories

2009-11-18T11:54:00.000-08:00

I love to write. At age six, my sister and I were disgusted to think that our little brother could possibly start pre-school without being able to write his own name. We set about immediately to remedy the situation.

I have spent the last several days writing stories. Now, in software development, there are several versions of stories. There are backlog stories which are a sentence or two long and look something like this:

"As a user, I can make changes to my profile so that my e-mail account will remain updated."

The "so that" is rather critical, even though the above example isn't the best "so that." Software engineers then take these stories and decide what they need to do to make that story happen. There are also epics, which are similar to a book, and the stories are chapters within that book. The Epic might describe the entire profile experience, and within that experience, individual stories tell about a user or administrator's interaction with the profile.

I have been writing the best kind of stories. This is where I take a marketing segment, turn it into a single person, and walk right through that person's life. I literally tell what that person's day is like - - BEFORE they use our software. It's not as easy as it sounds. I have to consider all of the value propositions we have in store for them, and then I get to tell how that person's life is oh, so much better AFTER they use our software!

That has been a fabulous experience, because I get to weave in all of these factual elements about real research and real experiences. It is very thrilling, and I confess, one of my favorite parts of software development!

Another success story, I also serve on a credentialing commission, ICAPGen. I was asked to run in an election over a year ago, and was elected by a majority vote. (Secret: I didn't vote for myself.) My assignment was to help with the development of a new website, or at least the implementation of a newish website. It's a long story. After several months of meetings, we finally settled on a designer. Her first designs, like most, weren't quite what the commission expected or wanted. I spent the next couple of weeks fighting back the commission's suggestion to come up with a design committee. Fact: if you have a good designer, you give the designer suggestions and feedback, and they come back with what you want, or at least a closer version of that. If instead you get a committee together to create some designs and try to have the designer implement those designs, failure is inevitable. Design by committee is usability suicide.

Well, she pulled through for me, and came up with some fabulous designs, and after a little direction with the committee on the types of feedback necessary to make further improvements, we have an excellent set of suggestions for our designer to use for additional iterations. This computer science background is really coming in handy on many levels. One of my initial motivations for getting this degree was to help provide clarity to those without technical knowledge, and as I move down this path, I am beginning to notice that the gap between technology and genealogy is wider than the Grand Canyon. I believe we can build a bridge, but it will certainly take time.

Blogging: More than Online Journaling

2009-11-09T07:31:00.000-08:00

I recently reviewed Time's 25 Best Blogs 2009, and realized that blogging is more than just an opportunity to read about your friend's everyday activities. Staying in touch with family, friends, and associates is important, but beyond reviewing their philosophical ramblings and family vacation photographs, it allows one to have something to talk about after a long dry spell of get-togethers.

Additionally, however, it may be an arena for art, music interests, or political views. Blogs allow users to to connect with individuals with similar interests. I found at least three out of the 25 Best Blogs list that sparked my interest, and after sharing those, Diane Loosle referred me to one of her personal favorites, The Simple Dollar.

While virtual will never be a perfect replacement for enjoying a chatty lunch with a friend or colleague, online tools like blogs may provide a place for individuals of similar interests to gather, discuss, and share ideas and thoughts.

FamilySearch Classes Online!

2009-11-02T07:19:00.000-08:00

As you may know, FamilySearch has been adding some outstanding classes online to help those who are not aware. Users may learn more about Russian, U.S., Italian, German, and British research, with more courses on the way. We have Spanish language research classes, and now we have also parnered with the Association of Professional Genealogists (APG) to host online recordings of their recent Professional Genealogy Management track at this year's FGS conference.

To provide a little bit of background on my online class on Court Records, it was originally given to allow our education team to test a new product, MediaSite, that had been loaned or donated to our organization. I taught the class with this in mind, so for those of you who notice the gaping deficiencies of detail and exact date ranges for many of the records I discuss in the class, I do apologize.

Regarding the other classes recorded there, great pains were taken to provide the most efficient information needed, and I am especially delighted with the German Handwriting courses with Barbara Bell. My colleagues Darin Hakes, Chris Canfield, and Travis Jordan invested many, many hours in creating these courses, and Barbara did an outstanding job making the material incredibly easy to understand. As one who reads Current Schrift, I know how complex this task may be at times, and yet this outstanding team made this topic especially easy to understand. Well done! Check back every couple of months for more outstanding courses from this team!

What's the Value in a Blog?

2009-10-29T10:20:00.000-07:00

Runners run, programmers program, writer write - - or blog. What is the value in a blog? To merely capture the ramblings of a simple life, hoping that an audience will come and applaud? Is it a stage, or is it an informational arena? I love finding new blogs that really interest me and capture my attention, but they are few and far between. Considering I have taken myself off of the lecturer's circuit for the next three years while I plow through even more schooling, I am definitely not writing with the intent of reaching a large audience. In truth, I have many blogs aside from this one, but not one exists with the intent of reaching a large audience.

I have seen blogs that sell jewelry, blogs that showcase photography and artwork, blogs that document the life of a Teddy Bear, and blogs that depict rust and decay as a beauty of nature. Each blog is a window into the mind of what is most important or at least reasonably significant, to the blogger. What makes a work blog significant? Well, for one, if you want my job, this might be interesting to you. Second, if you want to know what I know, this might be interesting to you. Third, if you want to know the inner workings of my mind, or what I do in my spare time - well, that is another blog entirely.

What do I do, you may ask? I am a community manager, and a product manager in training, a computer programmer in training, a certified and accredited professional genealogist with 17 years of experience, a genealogical and technical lecturer, and a I am a professional meeting attender.

Kudos to FamilySearch

2009-10-28T07:58:00.000-07:00

We just received a "Hurrah for FamilySearch!" note from a young mother of five. When we started this thing, young mothers were (and to an extent, still are) the focus of many of my efforts to make accessible the products we create. This young Family History Consultant was so excited, because she could teach others how to do Family History without bogging them down with the technicality and time previously required to do research. Several months ago, I showed my nephew one of the versions of FamilySearch, and he blasted through our family tree with ease! Read the whole story. . .

Well, work on our current array of products is going well. I have been working hard to learn various dimensions of the development field, however, it seems that the more I learn, the less intelligent I become. I have the opportunity to work with Diane Loosle who is a brilliant manager. If you have never interfaced with her, you are missing out. She has a clear depth of understanding and clarity that is simply astonishing, and I love learning from her. I also have the opportunity of working with Allen Tietjen, an unbelievably magnificent product manager who is capable of maneuvering through a minefield of development obstacles and deadlines like a legendary military general. Truly, his leadership will go down in FamilySearch History.

So those are the great leaders at the helm of this ship, and manning the ship (or managing the ship) are my outstanding and admirable colleagues, who I often look at with awe and think, Really? I really get to work with him, or her? Michael Ritchey, father of the FamilySearch Research Wiki, innovator extraordinaire, and precision strategist. Alan Mann, famous educator, lecturer, and technologist, and one of the far-reaching minds that, with Herculean strength and effort, lifted FamilySearch out of the stack of books and CDs and onto the Internet. Fran Jensen, mastermind of everything we forgot. Nothing would be complete unless she could slice through it with her razor-sharp intellect. She thinks through problems with the precision of a surgeon. Darin Hakes, who humbly forgets just how good he is at thinking beyond the fluff, and into hard-and-fast purpose. Darin has been a prominent and gifted manager in delivering our online courses and webinars. Mollie Forbes, skilled equestrian and library assistant-turned-technical genius, who almost single-handedly gave the genealogical community a place to communicate in the FamilySearch Forums. What would we do without her spark and smile each day? Brent Summerhayes, master of all that is Family History Consultant, driving the roll-out of FamilySearch throughout the Church worldwide, and advocate for consultants around the world. Finally, who can question the value of the value of our well paired Wiki, Forums, and Library PM, Jim Greene, and our highly motivational Project manager, Kip Enger? Without diminishing the excellence they pour into their jobs and into their lives as some of the most remarkable men I know, Jim and Kip often give us the pleasure of sharing with us their brilliant humor. You may have had the pleasure of sharing in one of Jim's enthusiastic FamilySearch presentations, however, it is still my hope to have a Kip join him on the stage, one of these days.

How silly of me, I cannot forget our amazing secretary, Sister Betty Jo Rollins. She is such a savior to us! What would we do without her! I am so glad that her twin sister went on a mission so that we would have the opportunity to have her as our personal miracle worker!

Well, that sums up my immediate dream team, not to mention a whole slough of brilliant minds that we get to beg, steal, and borrow for our online adventures. I couldn't ask for better compadres on the frontier of the wild, wild world of Wikis and Web 2.0. Oh, and welcome to my blog!

AR

Purpose of this Blog

2009-10-26T10:28:00.000-07:00

Come visit to hear my ramblings about work, new technology finds, and genealogical tips, tricks, and discoveries.