Sunday, April 5, 2009

Techno Gen, My World - Blogging Prompt #14

I'll start off saying that over the past 3 days I have gotten so much work done! The only way to get used to a new program is to use it, use it, use it! So I did! I have added, to be exact now, 133 individuals (44 families), and 202 source/citations. I was using/learning the new RootsMagic4. I have to say I am really pleased. I wasn't sure about version 3 but this new one is excellent. The source/citing in particular. I could not have gotten so much done otherwise. I did not have to go to help at all. It is a really friendly program.
All of this is in only one of my files. the Janes/Jaynes file. I have my main file broken into 4, plus I have the kids and in-law files. (It's just easier for me to work on broken up.) So my first technology is the new RootsMagic4. (Bravo and thanks Bruce B.!!)
I'm actually rather low-tech. I use Windows Notepad a lot. I also use Treepad, the free version. Though during the past few days I have added notes to RM4's "To Do" under the person I need to do about. RM4 allows me to print them out so why have a dozen things up and running.
I never take in gedcoms from people or from online. I will go over them and by hand, extract things I need. I use MudCreeks GenViewer to open and look at gedcoms. I bought it several years ago and it continues to be fine, even when I made the change to Vista from XP. I worked on genealogy for many years before I got on the internet. So, I still tend to want to work on paper first, though I am getting very 21st century in the past couple of years! I may toss out those pencils yet!
Irfanview . This is the most important word people can learn! LOL! This little viewer has become THE most important image tool I have. It will batch resize! What a wonder! It will also open .gif format, which Windows no longer supports in Vista). I have PaintShopPro8 for doing any touch-ups, etc. to my images. I am happy with version 8 and have not updated. I also have GIMP, but I am not as comfortable with it.
Since blogging I have had so much help and a lot of contacts. I think blogs are the greatest thing since sliced bread for genealogy nowadays! Besides it's fun and you get to talk genealogy! Most people just want me to shut up. Now I can talk and talk.... (just click the little x on your tab above :o) Then there is Facebook, Twitter and all the other online goodies to help with the contact/aid and conversation part of the addiction...sorry, hobby. Let's see, I can Tweet and comment on FB at the same time, I can send a note, post, etc. from Diigo (Diigo is wonderful) to FB or Twitter. This is only the beginning........
NOW I have to learn "Cloud Computing"!
I really am a minimalist. The less stuff the more work as far as I am concerned.

This is my first time at Blogging Prompt. Nice!

2 comments:

M. Diane Rogers said...

I agree, it's great to be in a 'community' of people on-line - blogging and on FB/Twitter/etc. - all knowing what we are talking about so excitedly! And I agree about technology too - we don't always need to know how something works, just that it works for us.
Happy researching!

Norma said...

Your three steps ahead of me, but I am trying to catch up. I agree with modern technology - the jobs get easier and covers more territory all at once.

RootsTech!

 Today is the day!!!!