This Ain't Your Grandparents' Genealogy

Growing up I can remember my grandparents spending hours sitting in front of the microfilm or microfiche readers at the Family History Center in Independence.  I would watch them scroll from page to page.  Occasionally they would even write something down.  For the longest time I wondered what they were doing sitting in front of those machines and I even ended up interested enough to ask one day.  That's when I got the explanation of genealogy.  I think I was around eight years old at the time.  Eventually, I joined in on the game of genealogy cat and mouse.

Genealogists today are much more fortunate than the genealogists of yesterday.  While my grandparents had to hunt for the names they were looking for page by page in the microfilms of the census records, I have the option of running to the library and using Ancestry.com.  And it's not just computers and digitizing that have made things easier but with the advent of iGadgets and Android devices genealogists now have oodles of accessibility and tools designed to make our lives better and data easier to save, access and share.  I appreciate being able to access my genealogy over my lunch hour at work without lugging around a big, heavy binder full of paper.  But even electronic files can end up being a mess if you don't organize your electronic items.  I'm not talking just your family data, but also downloaded files, saved emails and other pertinent items.  I'm not an expert in organization (just ask D1, he'd love to give you a witty or humorous reference about my hoarding tendencies) but I wanted to share a few items I use regularly in my genealogy research:

1. Computer database: Right now I'm looking at potentially switching databases.  I'm currently using Family Tree Maker.  I loved FTM when I first started doing computerized genealogy and I still like it (for the most part) but I'm also checking out RootsMagic to see if I like that program any better.  There are TONS of genealogy computer databases out there, each person has to decide what works best for their own genealogy.  The best advice I ever heard was that whatever software you choose, make sure you learn about it and commit to it fully before deciding whether or not you're happy with it.

2. Websites: There are waaaaayyyyy too many to name but the sites I frequent are Find a Grave, Cyndi's List, Ancestry, HeritageQuest, NARA and FamilySearch.  There are so many more good sites out there that I just can't name them all in one blog post but those are just a few I use.

3. iGadets: I'm by no means a power user on any of these items but I cannot live without my iPhone and iPad.  I use both for genealogy, those I mostly refer to my iPad when I can, simply because the screen is larger and I like that option better.  In a pinch the iPhone does the same thing and I typically have internet connection on that no matter where I am, which is convenient.  Some of the iGadget apps I use for my genealogy are:

• GedView: I did a review of GedView here.  GedView is my workhorse, go-to iPhone app.  I keep it up to date by either inputting new data right away manually or periodically replacing the GEDCOM file I've imported into it.
• MobileFamilyTree: I also did a review of MobileFamilyTree here.  MFT is my fancy-pants go-to iPad app.  I keep it up to date by either inputting my new data right away manually or periodically replacing the GEDCOM file I've imported into it.
• Evernote: Oh I absolutely LOVE me some Evernote!  I can't imagine how i got by without this app.  I don't use it just for genealogy (although that's why I started using it).  I also use it for saving emails, software registration information, class notes for courses I'm taking (genealogy and non-genealogy courses), recipes and many other items.  In Evernote I can combine multiple emails on one subject if I want, then save it to the appropriate notebook, tag it and search for it later!  I'm still learning the best way to use this program/app but I can't help but love it more everyday.
• KustomNote: I haven't used this a great deal yet but it definitely looks promising.  This allows you build templates and forms or use templates and forms others have built and submitted for note taking.  I've already downloaded a research log form and a couple of other forms I'm looking forward to using.  You don't use this so much as a stand-alone app, you use it in conjunction with Evernote.
• Quickoffice: This is a paid iGadget app.  It's not cheap but it functions almost exactly like the Microsoft Office suite.  Since purchasing this CloudOn has entered the picture (I have that app as well) which allows the user to access their Microsoft files via cloud storage and edit and create just like if you were actually in the Microsoft programs.  Both are fantastic apps.
• Cloud storage: I love my cloud storage as well.  I have an account with several different storage entities.  Dropbox, Google Drive and Box are the entities I'm currently signed up with.  I use each one for different purposes.  Dropbox is pretty much my primary go-to for sharing documents with family and also my general items that I access all the time.  BrotherDear prefers Google Drive so I typically will share all my pictures there.  Box is used for my business life.  Keeping business and work separate is very important for me so having separate cloud storage was very important in my mind.
• Feedly: I love following interesting blogs.  And I love the fact that there is an app to deliver the new posts of those feeds to my phone everyday.  To keep that information centralized and easily readable I use Feedly.  I used Google Reader combined with Byline but both these items were clunky in my opinion.  Feedly has been the best discovery I've ever made.  Feedly also interacts with IFTTT and Evernote!
• Pocket: Another fantastic discovery.  I regularly add blogs to my Feedly list.  I don't always have time to read every single post but I don't want to just skip over them since they may contain interesting or useful information.  That's where Pocket comes in.  Pocket lets me save the articles I want to read until a time that I have time to sit and read them in their entirety. 

Just because all of these items are electronic in nature doesn't mean I've abandoned paper.  I have, by no means, gotten rid of my paper.  I still use binders, pedigree and family charts, printouts of record copies and sheet protectors.  I wouldn't recommend anyone ever go completely digital.  Yes, paper takes up more space but should you ever have a problem with your computer, jump drive, cloud storage, etc. the paper files will be there.  And on the other end of that coin, if your paper files ever get destroyed you will still have electronic copies (and, if you do things correctly, backups of your electronic files).  I also don't only rely on my iGadget for photography.  I still use my DSLR camera as often as possible to take pictures of items like tombstones.  Though, in a pinch, the iGadget will do almost as well.

I'm sure as I begin to get into mobile genealogy a little bit more I'll discover new and interesting tools and uses for older tools that I didn't know about but for now those are some of the things I use regularly.

I can only imagine what my grandparents would think if they saw how we were doing genealogy today.  The ease with which we can obtain information is astounding!  This definitely ain't your grandparents' genealogy, that's for sure!

Talking Tech: Family tree apps for the iPad - MobileFamilyTree

Welcome to the last entry in my series on family tree apps for iGadgets.  This week I'm reviewing MobileFamilyTree.  In previous entries I've reviewed GedView, Heredis and LiveHistory.

MobileFamilyTree

MobileFamilyTree by Synium is another fairly young app.  I learned about it by doing either a Google search or by searching in the App Store.  And here's my disclaimer for this week: The developers of MobileFamilyTree were kind enough to provide me with a free copy of the app to look at and review.  I make every effort to ensure my posts are fair and unbiased whether I pay for the item (in this case, the app) or it is provided to me at reduced or no cost.

MobileFamilyTree currently only has one review in the App Store for it.  Not having used the app with Family Search (I don't currently have a tree on Family Search) I can't speak to whether the review is accurate or not.

And getting right down to it...

The Good:

• The interface is very good looking.
• The GEDCOM import was very easy and I loved how the import progress bar showed not only how far it was in the import process and how far it had to go but it also showed how many people, families, etc. were being imported so I could verify right away that everything imported.
• The menu options of running reports or viewing the virtual family tree right in the individual record are really great

• Seeing the fields for nicknames and other names was very exciting!  Not every app has these fields.  And YAY!  A field for married name!  That's a great idea, so you can show whether a female changed their name, kept their maiden name or hyphenated their name!  That feature gets an A+
• Being someone who works in databases all day I was also thrilled to see appropriate fields for title and suffix as well.

• There is a good selection of person event options to add to each record.  From adoption to wills and everything in between INCLUDING faith and residences

• Another home run: the Associated Person field.  Wow, what a great idea to be able to associate a witness or godparent with an event!

• The in app help is really good.

• The Research Assistant and Family Search integration are nice features.

• The reports are fantastic!  I especially like the format of the to-do report.

• The options that are available of both the views and the reports is wonderful!

• I like being able to see both the databases you have and the GEDCOM files you've opened in the front screen.

• It's nice to be able to export to a GEDCOM file or share via the cloud, not all apps have even one of those options, let alone both.

• Individuals can be bookmarked for easy access, which is a great option.  A start person can also be identified.
• The labels section is an interesting addition.  I can see there being some potential with that.
• It has the option to merge a person and add media.
• The "Places" screen is pretty interesting.  I can see the potential for that area if you're looking for things in certain locations.

• Navigation is very easy, being set up similar to using a web browser.  This set up makes it quick and easy to move between individuals and families and makes it quick and easy to move from one individual to another.

The Bad:

• Not being able to see the full location in the "Persons" list is a pretty big inconvenience.  Only the city is currently visible so, for example, if you have two George Smiths with one born in Kansas City, MO and the other in Kansas City, KS you would have to go into each record to see which person was the person you wanted.  Including complete location information in the "Persons" view would make locating the correct person a little quicker.
• Being able to select a preferred partner or to re-order the partners to show the most recent union first is really necessary functionality in my opinion.
• Including functionality to allow re-ordering of facts (or other items) would be really helpful.  I like to see my items in chronologically order and unless you enter them that way in this app it doesn't seem to allow you to re-order them.  A genealogist rarely gets to enter events chronologically.
• There's no field where you can add your own organization code.  Other apps have had this option and it was really nice.
• Being able to add a source right from the screen of the person you're working in would be much better than having to add it before including the source in a person's record.  On the other hand, it's nice to have the option to be able to add sources.

The Ugly:

• I would love to see the to-do list have a checkbox next to the item so you could check it off and have it be hidden from the current to-dos on a done list (similar to the Apple "Reminders" app) or at least be moved to the bottom of the to-do list and show as done.  It's kind of clunky when you have to edit the item to mark it done and then it still shows on the to-do list.
• I'd love to see the option of adding new "types" in the to-do screen.  "Further research" is just too generic for my tastes.
• I'd also love to see the name/item that's been associated with a to-do show up in the list of to-dos so you don't have to look at each item to know who it's for.  For example, I needed to get several birth certificates.  I titled each item "Get birth certificate copy" and assigned it to a person.  I would have liked to have been able to look at the to-do list and see the title of the to-do and somewhere next to or underneat have the to-do assignment listed.

Recommendations not necessarily falling in the above categories:

• I know developers are trying very hard to be all-inclusive but I would prefer to have spouse or partner fields to be selectable between the two as opposed to titled specifically "Spouse" or "Partner".  I can see why it's been titled such and that's really a minor personal preference complaint.

I highly recommend this app for any iGadget user, although it has the potential to be somewhat confusing for new iGadget users.  The help documentation is very good on this app though so don't be intimidated by all the bells and whistles it has!

Overall grade: A

That's it for Talking Tech (for now).  If anyone happens to see another app they'd like to have me review please don't hesitate to contact me and let me know.  I'm always happy to spend some time reviewing items that could be helpful to genealogists.