Computers and Genealogy: a fruitful combination.

Introduction
Part 1: Genealogy Software
Part 2: Using Your Genealogy Software
Part 3: Sharing Your family History on the Internet
Part 4: Image Editing and Cataloging Programs and Genealogy
Part 5. Backing Up your Files

Introduction

I have been researching my family history for approximately 15 years. During that time I have had the extreme good fortune of tracing my Polish ancestry back several generations (with Zenon’s help!!) and also traveling to Poland and visiting my ancestors (both maternal and paternal) villages – again with Zenon’s assistance. I am by no means a professional genealogist, but I have made enough mistakes and false starts over the years, that I thought that I might offer some advice to some of you who may be just starting their family research. Although you do not HAVE TO use a computer program to keep track of your family information, using one will certainly make your research more fun and less prone to omissions and errors.

As I spent more time on my genealogy “hobby” I have begun to realize that I would need more and different computer skills than those I already had. I would need to be able to use my chosen genealogy software to its fullest; I would need to produce written reports and charts so I could share the information I had collected; I would need to learn how to create and upload web pages to an internet server; and I would need to learn something about photo and imaging editing programs.

In the following short articles, I will try to give you enough information about genealogy software, internet servers, photo editing programs, and other “add-on” programs, so you can better enjoy discovering your family history.

Part 1. Genealogy Software

Most people today are using one of the many genealogical programs available to record their family information. I myself have used several of them and will try to list the ones that seem to have the greater share of the market. The list is by no means all inclusive and is not meant to be a recommendation for any one particular program. I do use one as my “main program”, but that is a personal decision that everyone needs to make for themselves. So, without further ado, here is the list of programs that I have tried:

Legacy Family Tree - My program of choice. Web site is http://www.legacyfamilytree.com. Two versions are available – one that is totally free and a “deluxe” version.
Roots Magic – Web site is http://www.rootsmagic.com. Trial version available.
The Master Genealogist – Web site is http://www.whollygenes.com. Trial version available.
GenBox Family History – Web site is http://www.genbox.com. Trial version available.
Family Tree Maker 2008 – Web site is http://www.familytreemaker.com. No trial version available.
PAF (Personal Ancestral File) – Web site is http://www.familysearch.org/eng/default.asp. Totally Free software from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

Each of the programs is different but all are very capable of helping you organize your family information, creating charts and reports, incorporating photos and images into your family history, and publishing your family story to the internet. My recommendation is to visit the web sites of the different publishers, download the free or trial version of the program, use it for several days or weeks, and pick the one that “feels right” to you.

If you decide to switch programs at a later date, all is not lost. All of the above programs (and probably most genealogy software) is capable of exchanging data with other programs through the use of a GEDCOM file. Although the exchange of data is possible please remember that it is not perfect. There will invariably be some data loss although with a little planning and forethought it can be minimized.

Some of the things that I would look for when choosing a software package to use are:

Is the entry of data easy? Are all the data fields clearly labeled and intuitive to use?
How extensive is the report writing and charting capabilities? Does the program offer all of the more common reports and diagrams?
Can the program produce nicely formatted charts? Are the charts it produces easy to read, pleasing to the eye, and can they be printed in a variety of formats?
Is a “to-do” list available from within the program? Does the program offer the ability to create a “correspondence log” to keep track of requests for information that you have sent out?
Can you attach files (photos, documents, sounds, etc.) to individuals or events? These bring your family story to life and help put in perspective what your ancestors’ lives were like.
Can the program produce html formatted pages for publishing on the internet? Having your own family web pages makes it easier to share information with others and also allows other researchers (or newly discovered family!!) to contact you.
Does the program have an easy to use, yet complete sourcing capability?
I know this is very subjective, but does the program “feel right” to you? Remember – if you don’t enjoy the program you probably won’t use it and you will be missing out on a lot of fun in researching your family.

The above points are my personal list of what I consider important in a genealogy program. Yours may be similar or may be different – the important thing is that you explore the options open to you before you decide on which program to use.

In upcoming articles, I will try to explain how I use my genealogy program, some tips on filing documents and images for easy retrieval, how to publish your family history both in written format and on the internet, and how to effectively use your scanner or digital camera to preserve old photos and/or documents. I will also list some web sites that are directly related to Polish Genealogy and that may help you in discovering your Polish roots.

September 1, 2008

Part 2: Using Your Genealogy Software

Author: Bob Janice

Forum: If you have any questions you can ask me directly in the Forum.

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