Technology is great.\u00a0 And expensive in time and money.\u00a0 And requires an enormous learning curve, unless you have grown up with it.<\/p>\n
The Family History Library has a new photocopying system.\u00a0 Each document is scanned individually.\u00a0 So you can adjust the focus, the exposure, and the size.\u00a0\u00a0 If the edge of the document is too dark to read, you can adjust the lighting so that\u00a0most of the black disappears.<\/p>\n
You can print in black and white or color.\u00a0 The cost is 5 cents.\u00a0 Or 10 cents.\u00a0 Or 50 cents.\u00a0\u00a0Make your choice and\u00a0click the print button.<\/p>\n
And sometimes it takes as long to copy one page as it does to read the whole record!\u00a0 You have a two-step process to get the images onto your flash-drive.<\/p>\n
If you are coordination-challenged like me, moving the image around the copy pad, just to find the right page is a project of time.\u00a0 I finally discovered that if I watched the carrier rather than the image on the computer screen, I could move the carrier the way I wanted to without too much difficulty.\u00a0 But after a few tries, you feel that your eyes are no longer crossed–they are facing different directions entirely!<\/p>\n
Oh, for the days of a flat-bed\u00a0surface and a green print button.<\/p>\n
Who knew that after\u00a0years of learning about records–where to find them, how to get them–you and I face another series of years learning how to copy them.\u00a0 And the new online access is sometimes just as challenging.\u00a0 With single page access and restricted ability to copy multiple entries.\u00a0 Takes three copies to do one page of the new data on familysearch.<\/p>\n
Ugh! and Ugh! again.\u00a0 So I am involved with every Family History Expos event to increase my skills.\u00a0 You could be too.<\/p>\n
Live from the California event at Pleasanton California where more than 700 people are learning the tech.\u00a0 Watch for my assessment of the up-coming Expo in Atlanta, the second weekend in November.\u00a0\u00a0 Then register quickly to attend, while there is still seating space available.<\/p>\n
The Ask-the-Pros booth is completely booked for both days.\u00a0 And the Atlanta event is also\u00a0 completely booked for FREE research help on your most difficult research problem.<\/p>\n
When the researchers at the booth get stumped, they send the questions to me.\u00a0 Ha!!\u00a0 Little do they know…<\/p>\n
Your favorite genealogist, Arlene Eakle\u00a0 http:\/\/arleneeakle.com<\/a><\/p>\n PS\u00a0 Here’s a report for you:\u00a0 I am quicker and better with my laptop.\u00a0 As long as I use the mouse and don’t rely on my uncoordinated fingers on the built-in mouse.\u00a0\u00a0 And I took a whole days training on new familysearch–one-on-one with two instructors.\u00a0 You see I really lucked out.\u00a0 I arrived at the training class and I was the only student.\u00a0 My favorite thing–to be the only student.\u00a0 So I got a chance to work each and every step as the instructors did–on my own computer.\u00a0 On my own names!\u00a0 So I am feeling well-blessed, and trained this week!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Technology is great.\u00a0 And expensive in time and money.\u00a0 And requires an enormous learning curve, unless you have grown up with it. The Family History Library has a new photocopying system.\u00a0 Each document is scanned individually.\u00a0 So you can adjust … Continue reading