Organizing, Analyzing, and Sharing: Using Technology to Your Advantage C. ANN STALEY, CG®, CGLSM PO Box 441364 Jacksonville, FL 32222 [email protected] http://cannstaley.com ONLINE PROGRAMS/REPOSITORIES Use "Cloud" programs/repositories for backup storage and syncing files across platforms: 1. Backblaze. https://www.backblaze.com/) [Online backup storage site; 15-day free trial; pay by the month or year.] 2. Carbonite. https://www.carbonite.com/) [Online backup storage site; 2 versions with and without servers); pay by the year] 3. Dropbox. https://www.dropbox.com/tour/features ["syncs your files online and across your computers"; can act as an online storage site; for Windows, Mac, Linux, and Mobile; 2GB free] 4. Evernote. https://evernote.com [For Windows and Mac users. Captures notes, photos, websites, etc. and lets you access them via computer, phone, & other mobile devices.] 5. flickr. https://www.flickr.com [Online storage and sharing for photographs. Upload and organize. Some capability to crop, fix, and edit photographs.] 6. “Google Docs.” Google. https://www.google.com [Create documents, spreadsheets, and presentations online, for free, and share with those you designate. Need to have a Google account.] 7. “Google Drive.” Google. https://www.google.com [Store and share files, photos, etc. with those you designate. Need to have a Google account.] 8. Onenote. https://products.office.com/en-us/onenote/digital-note-taking-app [From Microsoft. For Windows. Organize your data in notebooks, can assign tags, save content with a single click, share notebooks with others, etc. 9. WeTransfer.com. https://wetransfer.com [Online file transfer option; send up to 2GB free; no sign- up; no password required.] WORD PROCESSORS Word processors offer you the option for word searching, a great boon to your productivity. A word processor can also offer the capability to create tables and forms. Most computers come with a basic word processor can structure text) and/or WordPad non-structured text). Microsoft Word is a for-purchase item. If you create a Google account, you have access to a virtual version. 10. Apache OpenOffice. "The Free and Open Productivity Suite." http://www.openoffice.org [free "... open-source office software suite for word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, graphics, databases and more."] 11. Google Docs. https://www.google.com [Create documents, spreadsheets, and presentations online, for free, and share with those you designate. Need to have a Google account.] SPREADSHEETS & DATABASES Spreadsheets and databases offer structured formats with report printing capabilities. They can be used to define fields of information, create searchable tables, and create reports based on the data entered. Data 2019, C. Ann Staley. All rights reserved. Please do not duplicate. “Organizing, Analyzing, and Sharing.” Page 1 can be reorganized to suit your current needs. Most computers do not come with a spreadsheet or database program; however, Microsoft has versions for purchase and OpenOffice has some for free [see #10 above.]. If you create a Google account, you have access to a virtual version [see #11 above]. FAMILY TREE PROGRAMS Family Tree programs come in 4 forms - Free, Shareware (try it before you buy it), Commercial-off-the- shelf (COTS) and Cloud. Depending on the software, and the utilities that it comes with, you may be able to create a website, create shareable CDs, publish a book, calculate relationships, create websites, etc. 12. Ancestry.com. https://www.ancestry.com [Online public and private family trees.] 13. “Brother's Keeper.” John Steed. https://www.bkwin.org [A Family Tree shareware program that will help you organize your family history information. Shareware - try it before you buy it.] 14. FamilySearch. https://www.familysearch.org [Online family tree.] 15. “Family Tree Maker.” MacKiev.com. https://www.mackiev.com/ftm/ [Family Tree Software for the PC and the Mac. Ancestry.com also has a cloud-version family tree.] 16. GenSoftReviews. http://www.gensoftreviews.com/index.php [All types of genealogy software that has been reviewed and rated by users.] 17. “Legacy Family Tree.” Millennia Corporation. https://LegacyFamilyTree.com/ [Family Tree Software; Standard edition is free; Deluxe edition available for a fee.] 18. MacFamilyTree. https://www.syniumsoftware.com/macfamilytree [Family Tree software for Mac] 19. MyHeritage. https://www.myheritage.com [Online family trees.] 20. Reunion. https://www.leisterpro.com [Family Tree software for Mac] 21. RootsMagic. http://www.rootsmagic.com [Family Tree software; Free trial copy is called RootsMagic essentials] 22. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_genealogy_software [Family Tree software comparisons.] BASIC GENEALOGICAL NOTE-KEEPING SYSTEM BYGONES) Bygones is a freeware computerized genealogical note-keeping system in computer database format available for the Windows and Macintosh operating systems. It does not replace a lineage-linked database program; rather it is meant to be used in conjunction with it to replace paper-only genealogical note keeping forms with computer versions. A variety of prepared Source Templates are provided; however, you can customize your own. Cut and paste can be done from Bygones into your lineage-linked database program, word processor program, etc. and vice versa. Every typed word is searchable. Research Logs are Standard, Chronological by event date, and locality/event-type. Databases include Contacts; Sources; Correspondence; TimeLine; ToDoList; Index people and events); Scans scanned images); and more. 23. Bygones. http://userwebs.rmci.net/bygones/ GENSMARTS GenSmarts is an inexpensive “utility that uses artificial intelligence to analyze your existing genealogy file and produce research suggestions.” It directly integrates with RootsMagic, Family Tree Maker, TMG, and other popular genealogy programs. It helps you generate and track to do lists, print worksheets to record your search results, and plan research trips to libraries, court houses, etc. GenSmarts reviews your genealogy software or a GEDCOM file, makes hypotheses about what types of records need to be reviewed, dates of those records, and where those records might exist. The resulting research suggestion 2019, C. Ann Staley. All rights reserved. Please do not duplicate. “Organizing, Analyzing, and Sharing.” Page 2 is explained with call numbers, if appropriate) and you then use that information to search online databases and images) or in an on-site repository books, microfilm, etc.). 24. “GenSmarts.” Underwood Innovations, LLC. http://gensmarts.com [Also has a limited free trial version.] GENDETECTIVE GenDetective is another program for analyzing your family tree data; however, it doesn't give you suggestions as to where you might find books, film, etc. to help in the research. Instead, it "tells you what you don't Know and what you need to Find". After analyzing your GEDCOM file, you use the "Reporter" to create reports - with 150+ to choose from. You can create reports for census, family, locations, military service, missing data, sources, statistical data, etc. Questions you might ask: Who could have served in the War of 1812? Who am I missing a 1940 census record for? Who does not have a [specific source] attached to a [specific fact]? For instance - Who does not have an Alabama Death Certificate attached to a death event that happened in Alabama 1906-1974? Who may have been born in [a specific county, state and/or county] during [years]? 25. “GenDetective.” RumbleSoft® Inc. https://www.rumblesoftinc.com/index.cfm PASSAGE EXPRESS Passage Express is a multimedia presentation software. It features a Project Builder where you organize your project using folders, just as you do on your desktop. You then can add photographs, documents, audio and/or video clips, genealogy files, spreadsheets, and more. For photos there is also a "face label" feature that allows you to "label" each person or object in the picture. As you build your project, there is a feature that allows you to test it, so that you can see that each item is functioning. When it comes time to publish, you can create an auto-run CD/DVD-ROM or save the file to another type of disk or device. 26. "Passage Express Multimedia Presentation Software." The Jefferson Project. http://support.legacyfamilytree.com/article/AA-00324/0/Passage-Express-free-download.html [Software to organize, present and share your work with others. A 21-day free trial is available for download.] 27. “Heritage Collector System.” LifeStory Productions, Inc. https://heritagecollector.com/ [The Standard Version is free.] OTHER RESOURCES 28. “Clooz.” Ancestral Systems, LLC. https://clooz.com [Electronic filing cabinet for genealogical records.] 29. Beach, Mark. Editing Your Newsletter: A Guide to Writing, Design and Production. Portland, OR: Coast to Coast Books, 1982. 30. Braun, Bev Kirschner. Crafting Your Own Heritage Album. Cincinnati: Betterway Books, 2000. 31. Brown, Vandella. Celebrating the Family: Steps to Planning a Family Reunion. Salt Lake City: Ancestry, Inc., 1991. 32. Carmack, Sharon DeBartolo. Organizing Your Family History Search: Efficient & Effective Ways to Gather and Protect Your Genealogical Research. Cincinnati: Betterway Books, 1999. 33. “Worksheet for Genealogy and Family History.” CensusMate. http://www.censusmate.com [Free MSExcel forms to download to organize and work with the pre-1850 censuses.] 34. CensusTools. https://www.censustools.com [Electronic spreadsheets for census data,