Genealogy Online for Dummies - Softcover

Matthew Helm

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0764503774 ISBN 13: 9780764503771

Publisher: IDG Books, 1998

Synopsis

Building your family tree in Cyberspace or just searching online for a bit of history about your ancestors? Whether you're corresponding with far-flung relatives or tracking down elusive family records around the world, a treasure trove of information on family histories is at your fingertips when you log onto the Internet. The trick to finding all that information is knowing where to look. From the foundations of finding family information online to the fundamentals of tracking down public records, maximizing online resources, and creating your own family Web pages, here's the best resource guide to sorting through all the genealogical information available across the Internet. Genealogy Online For Dummies is packed with sound advice, helpful tips, and dozens of selected starting points to begin researching your family history online. Plus, Genealogy Online For Dummies features trial versions of genealogy software (including the popular Family Tree Maker 4.0) and Web-authoring programs on the bonus CD-ROM that accompanies the book.

About this title

Review:

The Helms have put together an excellent introductory guide to doing genealogical research online. They've avoided the usual trap of organizing their book by resources, which may be easy for the author but makes it harder on the user. So instead of devoting this chapter to useful Web sites, that chapter to valuable newsgroups, and so forth, they've organized the book in a way closer to the way you'd organize good family research.

They begin with a series of chapters on preparation, including doing initial groundwork, developing a plan, picking the names to begin researching, and locating ancestors geographically. Next, they deal with the means for finding valuable records and then delve into getting the most from your resources. Chapter 8, for example, discusses organizing and presenting your findings, while chapter 9 deals with cooperating with other researchers so that you can all be more effective (and probably make some new friends in the bargain).

As is always the case with a Dummies series book, the Helms present a "Part of Tens" section, in this case four chapters each covering 10 top online genealogical sites, tips for designing your genealogical Web page, sites for beginners, and general tips for "smooth sailing." An enclosed CD-ROM contains nine genealogy programs plus a wide assortment of Internet tools and utilities. --Elizabeth Lewis

From the Back Cover:

CD-ROM includes lots of valuable software tools

Use the Internet to search international records and preserve your results

Fascinated with family history? Now's a great time to jump into genealogy, and this book makes it easy. What used to require endless shuffling (and sneezing) through dusty courthouse records can now often be done with your mouse, and you can share information with others who are researching related families. But be warned — genealogy is addictive!

Discover how to:

• Lay out a plan for your research

• Create Web sites where family members can make contact

• Access international records

• Research ethnic ancestry

• Verify what you find

• Protect your records

About this edition

• Publisher: IDG Books
• Publication date: 1998
• ISBN 10: 0764503774
• ISBN 13: 9780764503771
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 315