There seems to be a great deal of commotion about what is needed to actually do genealogy. What computer program, what computer software...what latest program, what type of laptop, i-phone, and all the gadgets...what's the cost, and what's the start-up time...all seem to be part of the present day equation for "doing genealogy". Well, keeping things simple has been one of my approaches.
To do genealogy is to "think", and to "thank". Who am I, and where did I come from usually, starts things off. Who were those before me who left their mark upon my flesh and bones. That random combination of Y and X chromosomes that survived down through the ages helped form me. A "thank you" to those folks who came before and lead the way, with a name added, is one factor to keep the generations connected.
For me, doing genealogy is as simple as a three ring notebook, blank paper, and a pencil. Nothing fancy, just functional to provide a record of my tree climbing. The picture shows some of my notebooks. One inch, to 1/2 inch, to heavy duty, to any thing that will hold my hunt. Easy to store, easy to find, and easy to use. Nothing to plug into except my brain. Keeping things simple...a goal of genealogy.
Hard copies of things are a good thing but I also like that all my information can be kept on one disc or on a web site and shared very easily. I would hate to lose all or some of my research to a fire, flood or just time and lack of interest by a generation who maybe wouldn't keep the information.
ReplyDeleteYes indeed...all of the above...but especially lack of interest.
ReplyDeleteI certainly appreciate the sentiment of simplicity but nothing beats meeting someone serendipitously and being able to pop open my website and show them what I'm talking about or how they connect to my tree.
ReplyDeleteOne the other hand, I still use a pencil and scratch paper in front of my computer when I'm researching someone and that paper ends up in the person or surname hanging folder.
Wonderful to have websites and all the 'fixins...have a few blog sites myself (11 of them). It is the documentation and research that holds all the family trees erect. The "hard copies" that are "hard" to come by...and establishes the "record" that all other genealogist can verify among the sands of time. Difficult to put on a website? Have not seen many websites that give the documentation or references to the documentation that I can verify?
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