Meet the Sponsor: RootsMagic

Are you relying on the Internet to access your family tree? Sounds simple and easy, but there are some significant disadvantages to having an on-line tree and even more potential problems if that tree is "public."

An on-line tree requires you to have access to the Internet in order to see your family members. What if you are in a cemetery? A library that has no WiFi or is having connectivity problems? Or you are wanting to show your ancestors to your children/grandchildren or other family members at a location where there is no access to the web? Now what?

An on-line tree is not supposed to show any living family members (and this is good, for the sake of the privacy of your relatives). But where do you add the newly married grandchild? And his/her eventual children? If you want to list your various accomplishments in your tree, you can't do that.

An on-line tree, if public (e.g., FamilySearch Trees and Ancestry Public Trees) can be added to and "corrected" by just anyone who thinks his/her info is better than what you have. To call that annoying is a major understatement.

And people can "pirate" your data, claiming it as their own or, probably worse, not including your source citations or credit for all those years of your work.

I am not suggesting that you avoid all on-line tree options. They can provide opportunities to meet cousins you never knew existed and, often, get further data that will help your genealogy quests. You might even get some family photos!

What many of us do is keep our genealogy protected from other influences, people who might attempt to access living people, while having it available with or without Internet service. We use software. And the favorite of Gena and me is RootsMagic. It allows us to add all sorts of personal information, keep some information private yet accessible, print out all types of charts, and more.

It would take me a great many blog posts to share all that RootsMagic does, but here I am going to recommend that you check out Bruce Buzbee's blog:

He is the creator of this program and the information there and on the website would be the way to get the most data possible. Click below for the website and listing of all the many other companion products:

RootsMagic is the product we will be using on the cruise to help folks work out their genealogy problems.

If you are coming to Jamboree, check out Bruce's booth. They will be running various presentations on the many uses of the RootsMagic products.

Thanks, Bruce and RootsMagic for sponsoring the Gena and Jean Tour!