As promised here are the OneNote Hangout On Air Freebie Downloads! Below the downloads is the link for the OneNote 2013 Quickstart Guide from missouri.edu. Not able to see the Hangout On Air? No problem! Watch the video below or click here to watch it on my YouTube Channel. And make sure you read the update on the forms at the end of this post. Surname Notebook Template:
Record Reminder List Template:
Pre-Research Plan Worksheet Template:
Research Plan Template:
Link to the OneNote 2013 Quickstart Guide from missouri.edu: http://doit.missouri.edu/training/office2013/onenote2013.pdf Have any questions or problems? Contact me! >>>UPDATE: As requested, here are the OneNote 2007 versions of the freebies. However, I wasn't able to save the Notebook Template any other way. So, my suggestion is to try to open the Surname Notebook Template in the 2007 version. If it doesn't work, then you'll need to set-up your own Surname Notebook Template by creating the sections in a notebook yourself. If you need help, Contact Me. =) <<< Record Reminder List Template 2007 Version:
Pre-Research Plan Worksheet Template 2007 Version:
Research Plan Template 2007 Version:
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Google + {a.k.a., Google Plus or G+} has been around since 28 June 2011, but with certain new {or newer} features Google + is beginning to emerge as social network platform to challenge them all. The day after the Communities feature was released, I immediately set 2 up: a public one called Tech for Genealogy & Family History Researchers {affectionately known as Tech for Genealogy} and a private one called Genealogy & Family History for Non-Professionals, and they've been growing ever since. These aren't just online groups where links are deposited nor are they places where knowledge is shared one way, but they are places where ideas are exchanged and we are all learning as we go. Two more awesome features that Google Plus offers that make it stand out from the rest are Hangouts and Hangouts On Air. A Hangout is a more casual video conference between 10 people or less that cannot be viewed by anyone else unless they are a part of the Hangout. They can be initiated by an individual from their Google Plus personal account, from their Google Plus Page, or from a Community member within the community. A great example of a community using these Hangouts effectively is the Language Practice Hangouts Community. Members in the community initiate hangouts to practice speaking a particular language. So basically Hangouts are like virtual small groups. Within the Hangout, the participants may chat via video or by text chatting and tools like screensharing are available. Also, they have access to their Google Drive where documents, spreadsheets, presentations, etc. can be shared. The other type of Hangout is called a Hangout On Air where there are still only 10 spots available on the video portion of the Hangout, but the difference is that it is being broadcasted live to a connected YouTube Channel and it's being recorded and will be archived on the connected YouTube Channel for later viewing. This lends itself very nicely for interviewing and instruction - community-style, IMHO. All participating on the video {the 10} may chat, ask questions, screenshare, and use Google Drive. There are additional features, but just know that this is very similar to an interactive webinar or interactive video tutorials. Then, of course, questions can be taken from viewers who are watching the Hangout On Air as opposed to those participating on video. Last Friday marked the beginning of our casual Hangout called Genealogy Tech at Lunch where members of the Tech for Genealogy Community were welcomed to come and go during a 2 hour period around lunch time and talk tech for genealogy. It was not recorded and there were only 9 spaces at a time for people to join the Hangout. The idea was to come in and hang a while and talk tech, and it was a definite success...it ended up lasting 3 hours with the conversation going wherever the participants wanted it to go. If there is a demand to record future ones or make additional ones at different times, then we'll do it. Part of me would like to see this one evolve into a 30 minute Hangout On Air where we talk about a specific technology for genealogy {or maybe a few} with some panelists from the Tech for Genealogy Community for 30 minutes, and being an HOA, it would be broadcast live and then archived on YouTube. The other part of me really enjoyed knowing it was not being watched nor recorded. You definitely get a different type of conversation going. But? It's not about me, so we'll see how this evolves in and for the Community. {Read: Your thoughts and ideas are appreciated on this. What do you want?} This week I will be hosting 2 Hangouts On Air. The first one, Using OneNote to Organize Your Genealogy, will be Thursday evening, 28 Feb 2013, 9PM Central Time. The second, Using Evernote to Organize Your Genealogy, will be Friday evening, 1 Mar 2013, 9PM Central Time. {And if you're like me and hopelessly lost with time zone conversion, then you probably need a little help with it. I use Time Zone Converter.} No, this time isn't good for everyone, but when you're hanging out with people potentially from all over the world, no time is perfect, but? It's being recorded, and I will do my very best to follow-up on any questions during and after the HOA. {Yes, this is the becoming-accepted abbreviation for Hangouts On Air. And, yes, it's the same as Home Owners Association. However, I think in context, we should be safe unless someone decides to do an HOA on HOAs. I don't plan to do any of those. But you never know. If it comes up, I'll be sure to let you know. In the mean time, if you've had some run-ins with your Home Owners Association, I'm sorry in advance for inducing a flashback by using the acronym HOA. Perhaps we can change the connotation attached to it to something that's more positive? One can only hope. But? The abbreviation for the regular hangouts is HO or HOs, which always brings a smile to my face. And some days a snort. So there's that.} How to be on the HOA video panel. {This means you will be on the video. Live and recorded.} Like a HO {*snort*}, an HOA allows 10 people to be on video. However, in an HOA, everything those folks say into their mic {unless muted} and do in front of their webcam {unless hidden by the producer or director} will be livestreamed via my YouTube channel and everywhere else I embed the show. I will take up one space out of the 10, leaving 9. Then my producer takes up another spot, leaving 8 spots. I will also be personally inviting some folks who have OneNote knowledge & experience to be a part of the HOA panel. At this point, I don't know how many will agree to do so. IF you have OneNote knowledge or experience and desire to be a part of the panel, please Contact Me now, not at the time of the HOA because at that time, I'll be running around like a chicken with its head cut off. Here are some of the criteria for being on the HOA panel:
So after those with some OneNote experience {or Evernote depending on the HOA} have joined me and if there are some spots left, then 30 minutes before the broadcast if there are any spots left on the panel and you'd like to join us and you meet the criteria listed above, then I will post on Google Plus {so you must circle me on Google Plus} that there are X amount of seats left on the Panel and I will have a link that you can use to join us in the "Green Room" and then eventually the broadcast. Are You Crazy? I Totally Don't Wanna Be On Video, I Just Wanna Watch! For those who would just like to view the HOA, then your job is much easier. You can watch, ask questions, and hopefully get your answers. In fact, there will be several ways you can watch this live broadcast:
But You Said I Could Ask Questions... I did, didn't I? {I'm crazy. Oops, I mean brave. Yes, I am brave.} Wherever you are watching the HOA, you may ask questions in the comments section. This means if you are watching from:
Also, if you are on the 10-person panel, you may ask questions on air after the tutorial which will take place in the first 30 minutes of the broadcast. {Translated that means you can talk or ask questions at approximately 9:30 CT when I have brought you into the broadcast from "The Green Room".} If all this tech stuff works properly and I haven't spontaneously burst into flames, then I and my Producer, Kenneth R. Marks from The Ancestor Hunt, will be {frantically} checking all 3 platforms for questions. {This is where my second monitor and iPad will come in handy. I hope.} Be patient. And? Please realize we may not get to your question on air. However, I will do my very best to answer all questions afterwards if need be via the comment section on the platform where you asked the question. {Again, if I haven't spontaneously burst into flames.} Questions? Shoot. {And by "shoot" I mean Contact Me.} ~Caroline This Friday, 22 Feb 2013 from 11am-1pm, CT, the Tech for Genealogy and Family History Researchers Google Plus Community Group will be having a come-and-go Genealogy Tech at Lunch Hangout. As you might expect, we'll be talking tech researchers like to use and might like to use for their researching endeavors, and we'll be doing it in a very casual lunch setting...on video. You bring the topics you're interested in talking about and your questions. And we'll lunch together! To participate in the Genealogy Tech at Lunch Hangout, please make sure to join the Tech for Genealogy Google Plus Community first, and then click on our Events in the sidebar located on the right side of our screen. If you have already joined the community and received an invite on Google Plus, then you may join the Hangout via the Event Invite you received or by going to the community and accessing the Events in the sidebar located on the right side of the screen. Also, if you RSVP the Event Invitation you received, then you will be sent a reminder notification shortly before the time of the event {like magic}. There will only be 9 spaces available at a time, and it is a "first come, first serve" event. Also? It will not be streamed live this first time nor archived on my YouTube channel {a.k.a., Hangout on Air}. If there is a demand for it then we'll switch the format to a Hangout on Air where 10 people can be on video, but it'll be streamed live via YouTube for everyone to watch. {But it would need to be much shorter than 2 hours, IMO.} Do you have to stay the whole time? No, absolutely not. Come and go as you please. {Think "open house".} I made it 2 hours long to try to accommodate different time zones. Also, if there is a demand to have multiple Tech at Lunch Hangouts to accommodate different time zones outside the U.S., then please let me know, and I'll do it. I'm game {and I'm sure others are as well} to Hangout when you are available. Time for the Friday, 22 Feb 2013 Tech at Lunch Hangout: Pacific Time: 9am-11am {For you, it's brunch!} Mountain Time: 10am-12pm {For you, kinda brunch, kinda lunch!} Central Time: 11am-1pm {Definitely lunch!} Eastern Time: 12pm-2pm {Definitely lunch, late lunch!} I was going to list some more common non-US time zones, but there are a lot of them! Here is a link to a time zone converter: http://www.timezoneconverter.com/cgi-bin/tzc.tzc Questions? Let me know! Contact me or +Caroline Pointer me or the +For Your Family Story Page on Google Plus. ~Caroline I've decided to make this regular post into a ongoing video series highlighting some of the bookmarks that I've made during the week in my Pocket app. Again, these are links to newer blog posts on technology that I think could be useful to the researcher. Below is the video as well as the links to the blog posts. Enjoy! Here are the Gen-Tech links that I highlighted in the video as well as the others that were in my Pocket:
~Caroline [Note: This blog post has been updated since it was originally written.] I love using the Internet to find information and collaborate with other researchers, and people in general. And I love using tech tools to help me be more efficient. I really love those tech tools that work behind the scenes, so to speak, that look for information while I'm doing other "stuff" 'cause who doesn't like to be more efficient? However, while it's helpful to have tech tools, like Ancestry.com's Hints [or their shaking leaves], MyHeritage's family tree hints, or even Mocavo's family tree hints. Those "hints" or just one tech tool in my Tech Tool Box. And, really, I only use them sparingly for my own personal research. They have their pros and cons. And the main con, in my opinion, is that they tend to lead new researchers astray by subconsciously suggesting that's the only way to research. And? It's not really researching. It's searching. And it's passive. And it's an algorithm that's doing the passive searching. [Which is a very fancy math formula that is powered by computer programs. And I've never really liked math all that much, so there's that.] And it's only looking in its own limited database of information - not anywhere or everywhere online and offline that the answer I am seeking may exist. So, it's not really thorough or very complete, which is why it's a tool. A tool that's being controlled by an algorithm which are both guided by you and the family tree and the information you've provided to it, which may or may not be correct. To me, that spells T-R-O-U-B-L-E. But only if you haven't relegated this particular tool to your Tech Tool Box to be used when appropriate. Also, I do check all my free and subscription-based databases online for documents and information that have been digitized. This is a part of my search Tech Tool Box. Either digitized images of documents or indexes of records are being thrown up on the Internet each and every day by many, many organizations and services. And that's the reason I highlight them in my daily blog posts, Genealogy Things You Need to Know This Morning. But what do you do when you have done all that you can with your online resources? You use your online tech tools to find it offline, if anything exists. Following are 10 general Internet tips on how to locate online where information you need for your family tree research might exist offline. Basically, it's using the Internet as an online Tech Tool to find resources and information offline.
Remember:
Happy Researching! ~Caroline © Copyright 2013 4YourFamilyStory.com -- All Rights Reserved. Sharon DeBartolo Carmack and Erin Nevius, editors. The Family Tree Resource Book for Genealogists: The Essential Guide to American County and Town Sources. Cincinnati, Ohio: Family Tree Books, 2004. Here are the 7 gen-tech links for this week. It was a slow week for tech that I think might be useful for genealogy and family history researchers {and that's not necessarily labeled with the word 'genealogy'.} That's the way it goes. Some weeks there's a lot to pick from and some weeks there just isn't much in the news. But? Look through these links and see if there might be a tech tool that might be useful to you and that you might have a place for in your Gen-Tech Toolbox. You never know. It might be just the thing you need. =) But, then, don't forget to take the time to learn it, use it, and incorporate into your online and offline research workflows. {Oh yeah. The important part. ;) }
~Caroline
© Copyright 2013 Caroline M. Pointer
The other day online someone mentioned that they still hadn't learned how to use Evernote for genealogy. And this is something I've heard many times in many different ways. "You need to do a video on how to use Evernote for genealogy." Or, "Show me how to use Evernote for my research, Caroline." I've almost created a video on it, but I created 2 how-to videos for my note-taking tech tool of choice, OneNote, and I thought that was enough really. I've suggested other note-taking apps to use as well. Other folks have done blog posts on how they use Evernote and some specifically on how to use it for genealogy, or at least how they use it for genealogy research. And then there was a discussion last night on Facebook that touched upon this subject a bit, or at least, the negative effects of too much tech and not enough genealogy research basics. And I'm going to predict this year you'll finally see how-to-use-Evernote webinars and presentations/workshops at conferences. But? I don't think most folks need it. I predict you'll be at the end of a webinar or at the end of one of those conference presentations and walk away from your computer or leave the presentation hall not really knowing how to use it for your research. {And really? A presentation for a how-to-use-an-app for genealogy? It definitely shouldn't be anything less than a workshop showing you how to incorporate it into your research workflow when doing it live, IMO. Don't settle for less.} You see, Evernote and apps just like it are just tools. In fact Evernote and OneNote are digital tools to help you take and archive notes. If you know how to take notes and use a file cabinet or a binder with dividers for organizing your genealogy research, you can figure out how to use Evernote and OneNote. {Unless, you're lacking computer or organizational skills. That's different.} I don't think learning how to use the tech tool is the problem. One way I can tell this is by the number of my Research Plan downloads {for several types of platforms and not just OneNote} there have been. Folks are really asking for something else when they ask me to show them how to use a tech tool for genealogy. They're asking how to perform research. And I'm not talking about searching Ancestry.com for the umpteenth time or chasing down a shaking leaf. {While that can be rewarding at times, it becomes tedious and non-productive if that's all you ever do.} I'm talking about narrowing down your research question and completing a research plan in order to answer that pointed research question in some form or fashion, and then doing it all over again with a new or revised research question. And we can blame this on the advent of do-it-yourself sites like Ancestry.com, but that would be pointless. Besides, as with all things, with the bad comes the good, and IMO, Ancestry.com's good far, far {FAR} outweighs its bad. And, hello? It's a tool. Or, if you'd like, you could blame it on me. I talk tech all the time. I push links to new tech out to y'all through my social media networks. But if you'll notice on my 7 Gen-Tech Links Posts, I give you a link with an explanation of how it might be used while researching. In my Tech for Genealogy Google Plus Community, I try to begin and encourage discussions on how to use the tech. {And I definitely discourage Link Spamming there, which is leaving a link without any type of description of what the link is about, ideas on how it could be used for research, or a question about the tech the link is leading to. It's a community not a message board.} I've even advocated recently in a local presentation that a person really should just learn one piece of technology a month while keeping up with their research. {Cray-cray, right?} And I cannot believe I'm going to say this, but? You don't need another app or gadget to get your research done. You don't need another tech tool to get it done. You need to focus on your research and your methods. Sure, use the tech or gadgets to help you. But what you really need is your brain. And for genealogy, your pedigree chart. Sure, your pedigree chart may not look like your grandmother's {or maybe it does}. It may be gussied up and all nice and colorful looking back at you from your iPad. But? It's a pedigree chart. And you're here in this online genealogy world to research. Stop getting distracted, and use that brain of yours to find your kinfolk. There is absolutely no tech tool out there that can do your research for you. It can either help you or distract you, but it can't do it for you. {But? Don't fret. The 7 Gen-Tech Links Post will be back for the new year starting tomorrow. Just, you know, really look at them and see if they can help you find your kinfolk. If so, incorporate it into your workflow. If not, move on.} Because the only one who should be driving your research is you. 'Cause, Silly, tools can't drive. They need you for that. ~Caroline You know how when you're looking at some information online and you think to yourself, "I really, really need to write down a few notes on that...reminders..." But? What you're looking at is not paper. It's a website, and taking a pen or marker to your screen would probably not be the best thing to do. {Read: Do NOT do that.} And you're out of ink or paper for the printer or both and you can't print it out to make those notes or reminders. Or perhaps you're really trying to save the environment. {I hardly ever print anything out anymore which is why I often forget that I'm out of ink or paper when I go to print out something.} Or maybe you're taking a look at your crazy 2nd Great Aunt Bernice's death certificate. Online. Digitally. And you are on your iPad and before you save it and send it to your preferred storage cloud in the sky, you'd like to jot down some info that will help you with making your citation later. Or maybe you'd like to put the complete citation on it before digitally filing it. I've shown you before how to do screenshots and annotations similar to these when on your Windows desktop or laptop. But? Perhaps you've acquired an iPad recently, and you're now addicted to being comfy on the couch or in bed perusing online genealogical records, randomly Googling your ancestors, and the like. And that wonderful phenomenon known as Genealogy Serendipity strikes you and you find something that you want to follow up on later when you're not lazing around on the couch or in bed. And you could just go to the native Reminders App and type in some reminders. And if you're like me and don't have a photographic memory, you'll go back and forth between apps many times making sure you got all the info that you needed. Or? You could use an iPad app like DocAS, clip the webpage, mark it up with your notes, reminders, and citation info right on the screen, save it as a PDF, and upload it to your Dropbox, Box, GoogleDrive storage account {or fling it into your Evernote account}. All with some taps, swipes, and a little writing or typing. You can even setup your DocAS app to automatically sync with Dropbox. {Bonus!} Among its many features with the DocAS app you can:
The DocAS app is very easy to use. It also includes pre-loaded into the app PDFs with easy-to-follow instructions. And? It's affordable. Many of the PDF and annotation apps for the iPAD run $9.99 on up. which isn't expensive, but who can pass up 6.99? {I couldn't. Obviously.} DocAS for the iPad can be found in the iPad App Store or in iTunes. And below are screenshots of me using it for annotating some notes on a screenshot. Click on each image for a larger version. Note: I purchased the DocAS app on my own, and I was not asked by anyone to review it.
~Caroline
My Big Paw Paw had lots of secrets...
I really, really had to trim this list down. There's a lot of great technological tools out there that we, as family history researchers, can certainly use in some pretty helpful ways to help us find our ancestors. Which makes me think... I wonder what our ancestors would think about us clamoring to use all this new found techy stuff to find out more about them? Certainly some would be surprised. Most would probably be puzzled. They might think, "What's so special about me that you'd spend gobs of time and money to find out all my secrets?" And then some of us who have been researching for even a short while might snort or perhaps even laugh out loud [or both if you're like me] as we think of all the stories and secrets we've uncovered in this crazy journey we've been on and that we are still on. And, if we could, we'd reply back to them, perhaps underneath our breath, "Oh, trust me my dear ancestor, you and your secrets are well worth it." Speaking of secrets, today's 7 Gen-Tech Links are brought to you by my Big Paw Paw, who happened to have a lot of secrets.
Happy Researching!
~Caroline
Who spilled my coffee beans?!?
There's online storage and then there's online storage. Confusing? Not really. I remember when I used to work for my Dad we used to back up every day's business activities on the IBM AS400 - for all the departments [Accounting/Sales/Service/Parts]. We had a nice backup system to tape. And we had a daily set of tapes that were rotated, a monthly backup tape after the books were closed for end of month, and then a yearly backup tape for end of year after the books were closed for the previous year. Nowadays most businesses of what the size of my father's business had been would probably contract with a 3rd party online backup storage company because the technology has developed enough so that the service is more affordable and more secure. The company would be backing up to the 'cloud'. In fact the technology nowadays is so much more affordable that it can be offered to not only businesses, but to individuals as well. And there are some slightly different services out there as well that fall under the 'cloud storage' analogy. One is what I blogged about before: online file storage services like Dropbox, Box, and SugarSync. Basically, through these services you can sync designated files [in some slightly different ways] on your desktop or laptop to the online storage service and then with any mobile devices where you've downloaded the appropriate app. This way you can access certain files on your mobile devices, and that makes life easier for the researcher-on-the-go. An a la carte service, if you will. Also, these services have different collaboration feature sets which can also be handy for researchers. [You know, if they're collaborating with one another on photos or documents.] Another type of online storage that's available for the individual is online backup storage, and this is more akin to what is offered to businesses. In this model, all computer files are backed up by an online backup service automatically for a fee, which is kind of nice because you don't have to think about it. Now, in looking at the fees of the first type of service - online file storage syncing, you'd think the prices of online backup storage would be exorbitant, but they are not. Personally, I have a syncing and backup hybrid plan that is slightly paranoid-esque, but I sleep better at night knowing that no matter what happens, I've got all my important files backed up and accessible. My syncing and backup plan:
Is this the right plan for you? I dunno. That's something you'll need to decide. I run a small business in addition to doing genealogy and family history research personally. Therefore, I decided to do the offsite and double backup of my laptop for added protection. [I've received the dreaded blue screen twice on my laptop and both times I was able to restore to an earlier backup from my EHD. But I got to thinking one day that if something had happened to my EHD, I'd be outta luck. Hence, the added protection of my personal files as well as my business files. Plus? It fit into my budget. So why not?] Online Backup Services So what are some of these companies that do an online backup of your hard drive and any connected external hard drive? [That's right. My backups are backed up.] Here are 3 I'd like you to take a look at if you're interested in an online backup service. However, I'm not listing their features and benefits. I want you to click on the links and do your own research and make your own choices. And? These three links are not affiliate links. They're just links to their websites. Period. Disclosure: I am an affiliate for Backblaze [affiliate link]. However, I strongly encourage you to research all the companies to the best of your ability and choose the service that is right for you. If you decide to go with Backblaze [affiliate link] and you click on a link or an image with a link and purchase their services, I receive a small referral commission that would pay for a fancy schmancy coffee. But? I really think you should pick the right service for you and your backup needs. You may even find that you're happy with an external hard drive backing up your computer files, and that's excellent. Having said that, I'd like to share a video about Backblaze's company. It gives you a sense of the company, the CEO, and what they do to secure your computer's files. Hark! You will be getting a behind the scenes look into the cloud. [And ohmigosh! These clouds are actually a bunch of red metal boxes that store servers that are all virtually connected to each other. Fancy that. ;) ] And?
Basically, my advice is that you have some type of backup plan for all those names, dates, family stories, secrets, old photos, and documents. Because they're that important. It doesn't matter which one you choose [Don't worry. I have coffee.], what matters is that you come up with a plan and service [if that's what you choose] that's right for you. Happy Researching! ~Caroline |
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