There's a cute story by Arnold Lobel called, "The Letter." Toad is waiting by the mailbox, sure he's going to get a letter that just never comes. Frog decides to send Toad a letter to make him happy. Frog gives his letter to Snail, who agrees to deliver it. Frog rushes back to Toad's house and together they sit waiting for the letter to arrive. They wait four days. Snail mail is a little slow. In "Snail Mail Revisited," the author shows how too much dependence on technology can be a liability.

Labels: correspondence, research strategies, technology

While some researchers may shy away or be unaware, a particular set of tools used in the computer field, Newsgroups, Mailing lists and Bulletin Boards, can be valuable in sharing problems in genealogical research. In his article, "Newsgroups and Genealogy Resources," Alan Smith seeks to clarify terms and simplify the process of accessing available information in this "growing resource."

Labels: genealogy, online resources, technology

The eleventh annual Conference on Computerized Family History & Genealogy at Brigham Young University is scheduled for Friday and Saturday, March 14 and 15, 2008. This conference is designed to be a how-to guide for everyone—beginning, intermediate, and advanced researchers. The focus of the conference is to help everyone learn how new computer programs and advancements in existing programs can improve family history and genealogy work.

In addition, representatives from the Family and Church History Department will be discussing how to effectively use LDS Church family history programs. Also this year will be new classes by vendors of products that aid family history work. The conference is sponsored by the BYU Center for Family History and Genealogy, LDS Family History Library, and BYU’s Division of Continuing Education. Anyone with an interest in family history or genealogy is invited to attend and meet with fellow genealogists and computer enthusiasts.

Labels: genealogy conferences and seminars, technology

In a Computerworld article, "Coming Soon: The Mother of All Genealogy Databases." Mike Elgan writes, "I've always found genealogy boring. But it's about to get exciting, very exciting, and for everybody." The article summarizes where genealogy has come in the last 10 years, and what the author finds exciting is his prediction of where it will go in the next 10 years.

Labels: genealogy, technology

An article today on About.com summarizes Roots Television, a privately owned company founded by professional genealogist Megan Smolenyak and media producer Marcy Brown. Roots Television is an Internet-based viewing channel dedicated to genealogy. According the site's itself, "Roots Television™ is by and for avid genealogists and family history lovers of all stripes. . . . You’ll find everything from DNA Stories, to Flat Stanley’s Family Tree, to the lectures from the latest Genealogy and Technology Conference." Not only can you watch and learn, but Roots Television also accepts user-submitted content on its new "Roots Tube" Channel, and to get people interested is holding a WildRoots contest, where users tell the craziest thing they've done in pursuit of their family tree. It's a brave new world!

Labels: Internet genealogy, technology

Wonder no more. With the aid of modern GPS technology, you may be able to pinpoint Granpa's location down to a hair's breadth. In his article, "GSP and Genealogy," Alan Smith provides a little background and information on Global Positioning Systems (GPS), and gives researchers some idea of how this very cool satellite technology can be applied to genealogy. An important point Smith brings into the discussion is documenting, suggesting there may come a time when "GPS location" becomes a standard notation in our genealogical records — one more bit of key information to pass on down the line.

Labels: genealogy, geography, technology

According to an article in the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle article, "Kirtas Technologies gets contract to scan genealogy records" announced Victor's Kirtas Technologies Inc., a maker of high-speed document scanners, has signed a deal with The Generations Network to scan more than 75 million historical records. The Generations Network, based in Salt Lake City, Utah runs web sites, including Ancestry.com, that have become destination spots for geneaologists. The documents include immigration records and city directories that date back to the 1920s.
The documents include immigration records and city directories that date back to the 1920s. The network will use two high-speed Kirtas scanners to scan nearly 5,000 pages per hour. The scanners use a robotic arm and twin 16.6 megapixel cameras to capture the images. The process reduces stress on the delicate books, Kirtas said. Character recognition software developed by Kirtas helps assure accurate scans.

Labels: historical records, technology

We haven't heard the last word on techology and tombstones. An article out Wednesday in the Vancouver Province, Virtual cemeteries promise life everlasting, announced Microsoft is getting in the game. The U.S. computer giant is looking at ways for the dearly departed to store e-mail messages and biographical information for centuries. The information could be stored on tombstones or cremation urns, or in a virtual cemetery on the Internet. Microsoft is researching ways of storing the data for generations without having the storage devices break down. Instructions to access the data could come in multiple languages, even hieroglyphics.

Labels: cemeteries, technology

As reported on Clarionledger.com, Mac iFamily software remarkable, a new genealogy program for Mac users was announced. "Mac users have long envied the excellent genealogy programs for PCs and have more or less been resigned to using the far more basic offerings such as Reunion or Mac Family Tree. Now, iFamily for Tiger is a genealogy program for Mac users that is not only easy to operate but offers an innovative approach to mapping the family tree."

Labels: genealogy software, technology

Ancestry.com announced in a press release today the appointment of Megan Smolenyak as Chief Family Historian. An award-winning professional, author and co-author of four books, Smolenyak most recently "rewrote history" by uncovering the true story of Annie Moore, the first immigrant to come through Ellis Island. "We couldn't be more pleased to expand our relationship with Megan and have her join our stellar research team led by noted Loretto Dennis Szucs (Lou)," said Tim Sullivan, CEO of The Generations.

Labels: Internet genealogy, technology

You may have more in common with your children and grandchildren than you think. In the BBC News article, Searching for the soul of cyberspace, writer Paul Mason explores the link between genealogy research and virtual reality games. Both, it seems, have the uncanny ability of psychologically transporting people into a time and place removed from the present and generating a strong emotional attachment to their subjects (or characters, as the case may be). Now, suspend all arguments between the reality of "family" and the "unreality" of virtual reality. The comparison is an intriguing concept, which embraced, could generate greater tolerance and understanding across the generations. And goes to show, once again, that we are more alike than we are different.

Labels: family history, historical context, technology

A new, digital graveside technology containing the life history the dearly departed is now available to the general public. The Graveside Memory Capsule was announced in a recent press release. The "inconspicuously mounted" device can display pictures, text, audio, music, voice and video, and is immediately accessible at the grave site to anyone with a laptop computer and USB cable. It can even be downloaded on site for later viewing and sharing through CD-ROM or the Internet. The cost is $500.

Plans for a similar product called Cemetery 2.0, was discussed in a Dec. 31 article in Indystar.com, Tombstone technology tells story of deceased. "This is only the tip of the iceberg," predicts Bob Biggins, former head of the National Funeral Directors Association. We can say Amen to that.

Labels: cemeteries, life history, technology