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BOOT CAMP 104
PCS AND FAMILY TREES REVISTED
It is almost exactly a year since Boot Camp looked at how to
use your home computer to compile a family tree. We received a tremendous
response from readers and there have been some significant developments since
then, so we thought it was a good time for an update. Most of us have thought
about doing it at some stage and when better than right now? Family ties are at
their strongest, you have time to spare over the long holiday break and it will
give that shiny new PC you've asked Santa for something useful to do…
Genealogical research can be a fascinating and rewarding
hobby that can lead to all kinds of unexpected discoveries. Who knows what you
might uncover, royal lineage, a forgotten title or maybe a coat of arms?
Nevertheless many people are put off by the prospect of searching through dusty
archives and the time and effort involved in processing large amounts of data
and documents.
A computer can dramatically reduce the workload and make it
a more enjoyable experience moreover it can open up many new and fruitful
avenues of research. A PC will also help you to create a more informative and
visually attractive family tree, compared with the traditional pen and paper
method.
A family tree is merely a database containing lists of
places names and dates but it's a job PCs are eminently well suited to and
computers can be a powerful genealogical research tool in their own right, as
we shall see. PCs can also add extra dimensions to your tree, incorporating
photographs and images, even sound files and movies, creating an eye-catching
multimedia presentation.
All you need to get started is a PC with an Internet
connection and some simple software. A scanner will come in useful, any of the
current crop of budget flatbed models will do. You can use just about any word
processor spreadsheet program to collate the information but it's far better to
use one of the many specialist packages that are available, including some
excellent freeware and shareware titles that can be downloaded from the
Internet. There are dozens to choose from most commercial programs sell for
between £20 and £40.
The best known are Family Tree Maker, Family Origins,
Generations Family Tree, Family Tree and Legacy, each with their own strengths
and weaknesses, However, rather that make any specific recommendations we
suggest you look at the Real World feature on family tree software that
appeared in Connected (April 8th 1999). The full text is in the
Connected archive on the Electronic Telegraph web site: www.telegraph.co.uk/connected.
You should also pay a visit to the excellent S&N Genealogy web site, (www.genealogy.demon.co.uk), which
has reviews of all the latest programs, lots of useful advice and can supply a
wide range of programs, utilities and data CD-ROMs containing historical
records for many parts of the country.
The range of facilities these programs provide varies widely
but they are all designed to simplify the process of inputting, organising and
presenting the information. Once on the PC it is easy to make additions and
changes and there is almost no limit to the amount of data that can be stored.
Most programs use a common file format called Gedcom, which allows researchers
to exchange data from different applications.
Before you start it's a good idea to collect as much raw
data as possible -- covering the last two or three generations -- from members
of your immediate family. You may even find that a lot of the groundwork has
already been done with earlier or incomplete attempts at compiling a family
tree. Elderly relatives should be able to furnish you with detailed first-hand
information covering the past 50 to 100 years and it's worth asking if they'll
allow you to look at or copy birth death and marriage certificates. Always
respect others privacy though, most families have a skeleton or two in the
cupboard that may have to be dealt with tactfully. Armed with this information
you can start keying in the data to build up the basic outline of the tree.
Photograph albums, postcards and correspondence can be an
invaluable resource, not for just names and dates but important places and even
buildings in your family's history. Many family tree programs will allow you to
add scanned photographs and documents, which will bring the tree to life.
At some point you will exhaust all
of the locally available data or need to broaden your research and that's where
the Internet comes in. The major development mentioned earlier was the launch
of the International Genealogical Index (IGI) on the web last summer. The IGI
is a massive database containing over 35 million family names and histories
compiled by the Church of Latter Day Saints from public records, church and
parish registers etc. The IGI currently covers Great Britain North America and
Finland and it is free to use. The Family Search web site also features a
download for a family tree program called Personal Ancestral File (Version 4
for Windows) plus a great deal of useful information and advice at: http://www.familysearch.org/
The IGI is the largest resource on
the web but there are many other places to look, including a specialist
genealogical search index called Cyndi's List with links to more than 57,000
sites! You can find it at: http://www.cyndislist.com/.
Another good jumping off point is a site hosted by Canadian-based Family
Chronicle magazine (www.familychronicle.com)
and it's worth trying any of the main search engines (Altavista, Fast, Lycos,
Yahoo etc.). This works best with unusual surnames, just enter the name into
the search field or people finder sections and see what turns up. A lot of
people have taken to publishing their home pages and family trees on the web
and you may strike lucky or discover a long lost branch of the family that you may
be able to contact by email.
Various UK government departments
and agencies have useful web sites that are well worth visiting, they include
the Public Records Office (www.pro.gov.uk),
the Office for National Statistics and Family Records Centre (www.ons.gov.uk/ons_f.htm) and the
Commonwealth War Graves Commission (www.cwgc.org/cwgchome.htm).
Next week – Top ten traumas
JARGON FILTER
SCANNER
Device attached to a computer
that converts a photograph or image into digital data, stored on the PC as an
image file
SEARCH ENGINE
Internet sites that seek out
information, by topic, keyword or name
SHAREWARE
Software programs that you can
try, before you buy. If you decide to use it you are obliged to register or
send a payment to the author or publisher
TOP TIP
Here's a simple little tweak that might help to improve your
Windows 98 computer's Internet browsing performance by changing your PCs
Maximum Transmission Unit (MTU) setting. By default Windows 98 opts for a
'safe' MTU value of 576 but you can easily increase it by clicking on the
Network icon in Control Panel, on the Configuration tab highlight Dial Up Adapter
and click on the Properties button. Select the Advanced tab, highlight IP
Packet size and change the setting from Automatic to Medium, for an MTU value
of 1000. Click OK and restart you machine and try it for a while. The Large
setting (1500 MTU) is unlikely to make much difference unless you are using a
high speed ISDN or cable connection.
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