GenTips-L Archives

Archiver > GenTips > 1998-12 > 0912662485


From: Margaret Scheffler <>
Subject: Re:Value of CD's & other options
Date: Thu, 03 Dec 1998 00:21:25 -0500


Dear Newbies,

It is nice if you find related family on these FTM cd's, but they are
awfully expensive considering the poor quality work done on many of
the families, and the lack of source documentation for what is
submitted. They may be helpful in giving you some places, to check,
but be careful. PLEASE if you use them, check everything out through
vital records, land records, published books, etc. On the other hand
some of Broderbunds historical cd's with standard reference works are
excellent. You may find the pedigree cd's at local Family History
Centers or large public libraries where you can check them without
charge. If one has lots of money to spend, buy them, but if your
resources are limited, think about what kind of resources would be
most helpful.

One resource people might like to check out is GenServ
(www.genserv.com). For $12 per year and putting a database on the
server, you can have access to over 14 million names. This is a
nonprofit enterprise, and your database will not be sold or cannot be
downloaded by others. The data is accessed through reports you
request by email (can get them at the website also) which are returned
in a minute or two after you make the request. You can update your
database every 6 months if you choose to do so. All of us make
mistakes. I would hate to see mine on a cd-rom that would last and
perpetuate errors for generations to come. There is a commercial site
with similar features, more expensive, that has a lot of names --
Kindred Konnections. There may be others.

Ancestry.com has a good collection of resources you can use for $59
per year. They also have some free materials - Social Security Index
and some pedigree materials submitted to them. There are other free
resources as well. Broderbund also has useful print resources on
their genealogylibrary website. I'm not sure what the yearly charge
is, but I believe it is similar to Ancestry.

No, I don't have any stock in any of these places.

Don't forget researching in person at public libraries, National
Archives, Family History Centers, Court Houses. Internet sites and
electronic media offer a lot of help, but you shouldn't forget the
hands on research you do yourself. Finding a name on a cd or web site
is nothing compared to finding those lost relatives in a small family
cemetery!

And don't forget to buy or check out from the library a book or two
on genealogy. One very readable one is Unpuzzling your past by Emily
Croon.

Happy Researching.

Margaret Scheffler

Dale wrote:
>
> I agree that the CD's are invaluable. If you're concerned that your
> family names won't be on them, you can go to <www.familytreemaker.com>

This thread: