Hangouts On Air for Genealogy

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:

• You must have a mic/headphones/headset and a webcam. {This reduces the dreaded echo. And? I'm not putting up an avatar to represent myself. It will be me on video. If I can do it, you can too.}
• You must be able to join us 40 minutes before the beginning of the broadcast in order to make sure your equipment works {the broadcast begins at 9PM Central Time}. {If your sound/speakers work and not your webcam, that's okay. Then your avatar is just fine. I promise.} This will be our "Green Room Time." In other words, if your hair is sticking up funny, we'll let you know. And I fully expect you to do me the same favor. =)
  
• Unless you are in the Witness Protection Program, avoid backlighting {lighting behind you}. Don't position yourself and your computer with a bright window at your back. Have some kind of light pointing at you...the best is from the side.
• And if you are a perfectionist, this HOA panel thing might not be your thing. You need to be flexible with it {go with the flow}, and no one - least of all me - expects things to run smoothly because this will be live and recorded, which, to me, is just asking for things to not run smoothly no matter how many precautions I take. Plus? This is my first one to direct or do or whatever. {Live, recorded, and the first one I've done...can you say something-will-probably-go-wrong trifecta?}

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:

• If you received a totally random Event Invite {Random meaning I didn't send it to specific people on purpose, per se. If I had you in one of my genealogy circles on Google Plus, then I sent it to the collective you. But? There are daily limits on the number of people I could invite.}, then you will be sent an Event reminder via Google Plus Notifications. Wherever it says to Join, then Join. {And this "Join" means to watch.} If you're a little early, it will be a black YouTube screen with the message that we'll be starting momentarily.
• If you are a part of the Tech for Genealogy Google Plus Community, then I will embed the HOA there for your viewing pleasure. {And, like, you could totally join right now.} So if you get up to get some potato chips, when you get back to your computer, head on over to the Tech for Genealogy G+ Community, we'll be there...waiting for you. {Make sure you bring enough chips for all of us.} You should see a black YouTube screen with a Join button. So join...with those chips. {Again, this Join means to watch.} If you're a little early, it will be a black YouTube screen with the message that we'll be starting momentarily.
• As mentioned before, this HOA will be livestreamed through the 4YourFamilyStory YouTube Channel. Right before the broadcast, I will post on Google Plus and in the Genealogy for Tech Community the URL for the HOA. So watch for my posting in my Google Plus Stream or in the Community for the link. Navigate to there and if I've set it up correctly, it should automatically start for you. If I haven't done it correctly, you may have to click Join. {Again, this Join means to watch.} You might want to navigate to my YouTube Channel right now and check out my YouTube channel to familiarize yourself and whatnot. You can even subscribe to my channel while you're there if you like. If you're a little early on broadcasting day {Thursday or Friday}, it will be a black YouTube screen with the message that we'll be starting momentarily.

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:

• the Event Invite, you may ask questions in the comments below the HOA screen;
  
• the Tech for Genealogy Community, then you may ask questions in the comments below it;
  
• the 4YourFamilyStory YouTube Channel, then you may ask questions in the comments below the screen.

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

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