Trendy Tech Tools for Your Research: Yay or Nay?

Geni volunteer curator, E. Randol Schoenberg, describes the advantages of building your family tree collaboratively on Geni.com. Topics discussed include the Geni relationship finder, dna integration, finding correcting mistakes, using different languages, ancestor and descendant reports, merging duplicates, getting help with public discussions, using the Actions menu and projects.

Ransomware is a form of malware (malicious software) that encrypts a victim’s files so they cannot be accessed. The attacker then demands that the victim pay a ransom in order to have access to their files restored. Maybe, you’ve heard about ransomware in the news and thought it was a business problem, but in truth over 75% of ransomware attacks are aimed at individuals and small businesses. Why, because you are easy targets. Learn more about ransomware and what you can do about before it strikes, and if you are attacked how you can recover.

If headstones could talk, they would have a lot of stories to tell. But they can't, so BillionGraves is the next best thing. BillionGraves is the world's largest GPS-linked cemetery data resource. As you take photos with the BillionGraves app on your phone, each gravestone is automatically marked with a GPS location. The data is then transcribed by volunteers, plotted on cemetery maps, and preserved on BillionGraves, FamilySearch, and MyHeritage websites for millions of families around the globe for generations to come.

Based on resources collected for the Net Notes Column of Internet Genealogy which I have authored since 2006. These will be not-yet-published resources from the US, Canada, UK, and from countries around the world. A real smorgasbord of topics, time periods, etc. A little bit of something for everyone.

Canva is a freemium model cloud-based graphic design app that allows even the most design-challenged genealogist to create attractive digital and print products. Colleen uses it frequently to create visuals for my blogs, social media posts, videos and reports, and for family celebrations. We will walk through navigating around the browser interface and features, review the various design libraries, and demonstrate some of her regular design use cases. We will also discuss free personal Canva, premium Canva Pro, and Canva’s Nonprofits program for your society.

Every genealogist feels that digital filing is out of their control. It can be an overwhelming process to keep track of all of the documents, images, and files that end up on our computers and devices. How do we even start to tackle this virtual pile of filing? What tools and processes will work best for you? We will discuss all of this and how to maintain digital filing as we research.

Traditional documentation clearly identified Fayette's father without conflict. However, the DNA results of Fayette's descendants told a different story. Learn how DNA evidence combined with a trail of clues and the application of the Genealogical Proof Standard revealed a secret from the summer of 1913.

FamilySearch.org is still a big website. Have you ever wondered if you could search multiple sections of the site at once? What about the best place to go to find hints to add people to the tree? What about experiences that don’t require an account? Come learn about 5 more links you have to try!

Alberta is unique among the 10 Canadian provinces. It was the last of the three Prairie provinces to be opened to homesteading, which meant land in that province was available just as quality homesteading land dried up in the United States. That brought a rush from south of the border, and the American influence is still felt today. There has been another mass influx of people eager to work in the energy industry. Many of the key sources used in researching your ancestors or cousins in Alberta are also unique, so local knowledge is essential. This session identifies those sources for you, and will help you get results in your searches.