Jim M.

Tried that...

 

When I try to restore a file I received, I get "Input file read failure. The error occurs when a file operation is performed on a ZIP file that is locked or restricted by another process." Assuming the file isn't corrupt... is there a fix? I've run Reindex/Optimize/Validate File Integrity...

TMG 6 seems to be able to import from lots of applications... except for... ITSELF.

 

Or did I miss something?

 

What's the best way to send data from your TMG 6 to someone who also has TMG 6?

 

You might want to read this from the APG-L Re: [APG] Preserving Records - Microforms vs. CD etc.

You make an excellent point.

 

Having given this quite a lot of thought for a bit over a week, at this point I'm still not going to save piles of paper. Perhaps I have a dominant "loses organizational integrity" gene, but I just can't see spending a lot of time filling filing cabinets full of things I may never be able to find again (even with the best of schemes) - not to mention the fact that when I get too old or too feeble, my relatives will probably just cart it all to the landfill...

 

For now - I think I will replicate selected sites and pkzip them... and pray that Windows Explorer and/or its successors will support today's implementation of HTML/etc.

But when it comes to logging and saving the gps tracks, the state of the art is not so good. This is particularly true for consumer grade handheld units. So anyone considering purchasing a handheld should do their homework first. Sony has just come out with a unit for that purpose, but broke no new ground that anyone on the camera forums seemed to be aware of.

 

Whatever standalone handheld GPS unit is purchased should have the capability of both downloading and uploading from a laptop to be useful. Cell phones will probably lead the way, but it may be a few years before everything comes together. Today's GPS units require much more battery power than either cell phones or digital cameras. Yesterday's hadheld GPS units are obsolete.

OK... I guess my research re: handheld GPS was incomplete. At the risk of seeming dense, isn't the goal to get a single GPS coordinate for whatever "it" is? Or are you suggesting that the goal is to generate a "track", say, from the cemetery entrance to the specific grave marker?

 

[it's likely that GPS units will always use a lot more battery power, as they have to track multiple signals (satellites); a cell phone only has to beacon, i.e. "any cell towers out there? I'm 212-555-1234", and it gets "handed" a single cell tower to talk to, so to speak...]

 

What caused "yesterday's" handheld GPS units to become obsolete?

I'm at work right now, and thus no Google Earth... but doesn't GE give the GPS coordinates?

 

Now - if one were to know those coordinates, you could just about plan how you would get to those other two structures - as in feet/yards and direction, etc. A GPS receiver with an integrated compass could put you on the front doorstep in no time...

 

IMHO, it seems to me that genealogists (including unrepentant TMG rookies) should (always?) relate the locations of graves, "interesting" structures, and other locations in terms of GPS coordinates - because we can, and because it's damn precise.

 

That would necessitate some changes to a lot of websites and databases, and perhaps TMG? (Hello Bob... [knocking on screen] ...are you preparing for this?) Just thinking out loud...

Just something from my days as a Scoutmaster - by all means, always keep a couple of rolls of TP in the car... but whatever you do, folks - put them in Zip-Loc bags! There's absolutely nothing more discouraging than finding that you somehow left the TP out in the rain. (MacArthur Park as background music here) "And I'll never know any modesty again..... OOOHHHH NOOOOOOOOOOOO...."

 

In troop meetings where we were planning for a campout, I would always ask the group "What's a Scout's best friend?" - to which the enthusiastic response would be (from 60-80 boys) - "TP in a Zip-Loc!!!" The older kids would be muttering something about Girl Scouts, of course, but that wasn't part of the official Boy Scout program...

 

Speaking of Girl Scouts, my wife's been a Girl Scout leader for over ten years, and I think she could support a small town for a week with all the stuff in the trunk of her car.

Hello Jim,

 

When I come across information in a website that I require (although I must admit that I dont do this very often, perhaps I am missing out on something?), I take a screen shot and then manipulate it in an image program to delete my browser etc. Is this not an option?

 

I suppose that there could be times when there could be more than a screen shot's worth of info and I know there could be copyright issues but there is no commercial gain, the website is acknowledged in the source information and if you want to be extra careful you could email the site to request permission.

I guess I would start my reply with 'I'm think, ultimately, I'm not a lumper'. I have been a database administrator in the IT world in a previous life, and, with data quality/integrity being the primary objective of someone in that capacity, I'm leaning toward creating my own mirrors of websites that are "important" - if "File, Save" doesn't suffice. Heck - I saw a 500GB USB-enabled hard drive at Best Buy the other day.

 

And I definitely wouldn't ask for permission - so I wouldn't share that data with anyone else - only the reference to the site and date. When it comes down to the validity of the data, though, I think the sites I visit most often are going to get a surety of 0, or maybe 1, as they rarely include sources. As far as validity goes - they're often effectively useless - but they provide a starting point for other searches. (Having a "suspected" name of a sibling/parent is often enough to uncover a half dozen generations that are "verified" with more credible sources.)

How do you store and cite the data contained in emails?

 

Over time, I suppose, in many circumstances, other sources would be found that are better evidence...

 

Do you save emails as text files, and point to those files, making each one a standalone source?

 

Or do you copy the relevant text to internal text?

I haven't completely researched this, so correct me if I'm wrong... but it appears to me (see signature line) that some of the methods of publishing websites that use genealogical data (perhaps TMG+Second Site?) generate page names that change over time - not just the basic content. Even if that isn't the case... the content changes over time as researchers make progress - whether a "Second Site" or one of its competitors is used or not...

 

And ditto with respect to the content on familysearch.com, etc. And websites can literally disappear overnight.

 

So how do you document a moving website target?

 

Have any of you considered making a point-in-time copy of "important" websites? There is cheap/free website mirroring software out there...

 

-----

 

At this point, I *think* my modis operandi will be to make as many digital copies of as many sources as possible (I absolutely *LOATHE* the idea of storing piles of papers - I HATE PAPER! ) - and that I may mirror as much of some websites as is necessary.

 

What do you think? Is this crazy?

OK - COME ON, GUYS. There's a lot of you pros out there that have completely dissed this thread.

 

So - what do you bring to a state archives?

 

A new twist on the same train of thougt-- How do you prepare for a cemetery visit? What do you take?

 

It would seem to me that if there's not enough response here - there will be some of you (in my area, at least) that will be interrupted to have these questions posed to you... but nobody wants that, right?

 

Reply to this thread!

 

Sincerely -

 

Jim "Rookie with questions" M. (see below)

Has this been acknowledged by WGS as a real problem? (I'm getting it, too.)

The date field, and thus date surety, really makes no sense for the primary name tag, and I never enter either.

 

The date field for a name tag is supposed to indicate when that name was adopted by the person. Generally there is no such known date. But occasionally there is, for example when a name is changed by immigration, legal process, or the like. Only then would I enter a date, and a surety, in a name tag.

Does it make sense to enter a surety for the primary (12DPM) - for any of the Name tags?

 

Ex: Name-Var, Name-Marr, Name-Nick, Name-Baptm, Name-Chg

 

Doesn't the association with the Person (i.e. because the tag exists at all) more than just imply the TMG user's intent to mean that "this is this person in this context"?

 

If you're (1) an expert or (2) a purist or (3) just damn manic about data consistency - what do you do with this surety value, and why?

 

How does your choice impact anything else TMG-wise?

I visited my local state library yesterday. I had a lot of fun figuring out how the system works. (see signature line) After reading and signing a good half-dozen forms, showing my driver's license twice (which was copied both times), I finally reach the manuscript area. There are cameras everywhere - what are those for?

 

I had -

• An 8.5x11 legal pad in a zippered folio, two carefully chosen black ballpoint pens (had to be sure they'd actually work!), and a 1GB thumb drive
  [Addressing me very slowly, e-nun-ci-a-ting e-ver-y syll-a-ble, she loudly announces to the entire room: "We ask patrons only to use loose paper and pencils in this area. (pointing) That's what the lockers are for." The two "power genealogist" types across the room roll their eyes in unison - how did they do that? Wait - never mind - I know.]
  
• No change in hand
  ["Pa-trons are ad-vised to bring su-ffi-cient funds with them to the li-bra-ry, in-clu-ding loo-oose change for the lock-ers." I don't know how she did it, but she's got the word "loose" with two syllables - I heard them! And - it's a good thing I don't take myself too seriously.]
  
• Not much time to do any research after getting set up in and learning the "system"
  

I ask: "Why do you need cameras? People would actually steal this stuff?" [i get "the look", then her eyes drop down and to the right, and she clears her throat, preparing to speak. Then it hits me.] "Uh, wait a minute, I know." [Of course - there's always been a market for historical documents, stolen or otherwise. I wonder if it's possible to get "Rookie" tatooed on my forehead on a Saturday afternoon. ]

 

I'll be much better prepared next time...

 

I saw a number of people using various combinations of the following items.

• Laptop (some had very expensive Dells - >$4K) - all apparently wireless, no one using Ethernet cables
  
• An expensive magnifying glass
  
• Loose-leaf notebook paper
  
• Pencils out the wazoo
  
• Rolls of quarters
  
• Some wheeled carry-on luggage rigs, custom designed to carry all of the above
  
• Bonafide attitude
  

What's in your toolkit?

 

Would you consider -

• A small flatbed scanner - USB-attached to a laptop?
  
• A camera?
  
• One of those portable document photography "frame" gizmos?
  

First of all, Jim the rookie, welcome to the TMG and its companion forum.

 

I get the impression from your homely use of "wifey" and the remarks about "oh-so-stylish hyphenated surname" that you approve of neither.

 

Having married into a Dutch family I have learnt the real value of the so-called hyphernated names, particularly when tracing back the female side of any family. In this way, I have been able to trace one branch of her family back to the late 1500s - now try that with your UK gr.grandmother's female side of the family. Yes it can be done but not without some very good verifiable sources and the further down the century road you go, the more difficult it is.

 

I find it a great pity that more UK and US don't adopt the same form. From the hyphernated name it is immediately possible, or at least 90% certain, that the wife's maiden or family name is second, ie in my wife's case her family name is Jonker where nearly all mail addressed to her is written as Mrs Ward-Jonker.

 

Enjoy TMG

 

Dave

 

In my area, the yuppies and social climbers do the hyphenated thing to increase the perceived level of prestige/social position - something like a nominal tatoo.

 

There was no intention to imply anything re: "wifey"... what does it mean to you?

 

Regards... Jim M-S-B-M ("hubby")

TMG's prompting me concerning Name-Marr tags whenever I add a new Wife person.

 

What's the concensus as to when these tags should be used? Every marriage? Or only those marriages when it's known that "wifey" continues to use her maiden name or she's using the oh-so-stylish hyphenated surname?

 

I'd guess this is probably a modern phenomenon - but I'd be curious to know if anyone out there has seen any records where wives did this before the 1960's.

When adding the data for a new Person, the "Date" surety is permitted for the Name-Var. (I'm speaking of the pop-up that allows you to add a primary Name-Var, Birth, Death (and Marriage for a Wife/Husband) for a new person, all with sureties for a single Source citation.)

 

What value is there for a Date surety in this case that a Birth tag wouldn't give you? Does this figure into any of the reports?

I have gone in the other direction - I am trying to get rid of filing cabinets by keeping all source records in some digital format. The only documents I keep are those I want to keep permanantly, such as original documents, photographs, letters, newspaper clippings, etc, which I record and store in archival boxes. Everything else (photocopies and such) I scan and get rid of.

 

I scan all sources, whether I intend to keep them or not, and identify each with a file name using the TMG generated source number and file format (e.g. "TMG Source 5242.jpg"). Sometimes, I will add additional information, such as page number from a book ("TMG Source 5323 Page 113.tif"). I make a backup to CD, then discard everything I don't intend to keep permanantly.

 

This allows several things. Orignal documents I can look at and show without handlling them. Other documents, I don't have to keep buying filing cabinets and filing cabinet storage. The numbering system allows me to use the TMG picklist to keep track of them all, and I don't have to keep track of some elaborate file naming scheme. I can put several hundred on a CD, so they are also portable.

 

So I'd guess that you would NEVER EVER renumber your sources, nor perhaps even your Peeps - right? Can those two TMG functions be disabled? It sounds like there's a major league opportunity for shooting oneself in the both feet if those "handguns" were left lying around in plain view.

As a follow on -

 

Is TMG's Source Categories/Custom a hybrid of Mills, a hybrid of Lackey, or a hybrid of Mills+Lackey?

 

Is it better, in your view, to use Custom vs. the two published standards?

 

I presume that "Evidence!" by Elizabeth Shown Mills is a Mills-fest, so to speak, but is there a good text based on the Custom source definitions? Or should I care?

 

A quote from "The Matrix" comes to mind: "You take the red pill - you stay in Wonderland and I show you how deep the rabbit-hole goes."

 

Jim