How Newspapers Are Digitized

Hello!

It's been a long time since I have posted to this blog.  Life has changed in several ways, and I found myself with nothing I felt needed saying for a long while.  I will probably not be posting a lot, but I will try to be a little more present than I have been for a long while.

Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=38072749

Today, I came across an article about how different technologies and techniques are being used to help preserve and digitize old newsprint.  Newspapers present a particular challenge because the paper they are printed on is thin, very low quality and acidic, which makes it age and become brittle relatively rapidly.  Add to that poor storage conditions, and you have a very difficult proposition for digital storage and preservation.

The article can be found here:

http://petapixel.com/2017/01/05/using-humidification-electrostatic-force-digitizing-old-newspapers/

There are a couple of time-lapse videos of the processes used to remove wrinkles and hold the papers flat for better image quality.  They also deal with broken papers which can result in a jigsaw puzzle of pieces to hold in place.  There are also a couple of before and after images to show the improvements gained by using these techniques.  Unfortunately, they're out of reach for the average home genealogist, but hopefully they will improve the legibility of online sources so we can all benefit from them in the future.




This and all other articles on this blog are © copyright 2017 by Daniel G. Dillman

Tech Savvy Genealogist Meme

As an IT professional, there's no way I could NOT participate in this meme...

The Tech Savvy Genealogists' Meme


The list should be annotated in the following manner:
Things you have already done or found: bold face type
Things you would like to do or find: italicize (colour optional)
Things you haven’t done or found and don’t care to: plain type
Feel free to add extra comments in brackets after each item


Which of these apply to you?

1. Own an Android or Windows tablet or an iPad
2. Use a tablet or iPad for genealogy related purposes
3. Have used Skype to for genealogy purposes
4. Have used a camera to capture images in a library/archives/ancestor's home
5. Use a genealogy software program on your computer to manage your family tree
6. Have a Twitter account
7. Tweet daily
8. Have a genealogy blog
9. Have more then one genealogy blog
10. Have lectured/presented to a genealogy group on a technology topic
11. Currently an active member of Genealogy Wise
12. Have a Facebook Account
13. Have connected with genealogists via Facebook
14. Maintain a genealogy related Facebook Page
15. Maintain a blog or website for a genealogy society
16. Have submitted text corrections online to Ancestry, Trove or a similar site
17. Have registered a domain name
18. Post regularly to Google+
19. Have a blog listed on Geneabloggers
20. Have transcribed/indexed records for FamilySearch or a similar project
21. Own a Flip-Pal or hand-held scanner
22. Can code a webpage in .html
23. Own a smartphone
24. Have a personal subscription to one or more paid genealogy databases
25. Use a digital voice recorder to record genealogy lectures
26. Have contributed to a genealogy blog carnival
27. Use Chrome as a Browser
28. Have participated in a genealogy webinar
29. Have taken a DNA test for genealogy purposes
30. Have a personal genealogy website
31. Have found mention of an ancestor in an online newspaper archive
32. Have tweeted during a genealogy lecture
33. Have scanned your hardcopy genealogy files
34. Use an RSS Reader to follow genealogy news and blogs
35. Have uploaded a gedcom file to a site like Geni, MyHeritage or Ancestry
36. Own a netbook
37. Use a computer/tablet/smartphone to take genealogy lecture notes
38. Have a profile on LinkedIn that mentions your genealogy habit
39. Have developed a genealogy software program, app or widget
40. Have listened to a genealogy podcast online
41. Have downloaded genealogy podcasts for later listening
42. Backup your files to a portable hard drive
43. Have a copy of your genealogy files stored offsite
44. Know about Rootstech
45. Have listened to a Blogtalk radio session about genealogy
46. Use Dropbox, SugarSync or other service to save documents in the cloud
47. Schedule regular email backups
48. Have contriibuted to the Familysearch Wiki
49. Have scanned and tagged your genealogy photographs
50. Have published a genealogy book in an online/digital format

See not even IT pros have done it all, so if you feel like you're left way behind, don't!  Just do what you can, and what appeals to you.  Use the tools that will help you accomplish your goals.  Some of these items just won't work for me, for instance scanning my hardcopy genealogy files.  I've used a computer for genealogy since I started, so the only hardcopy stuff I have is materials I got from someone else!   And as has been noted elsewhere, the list is skewed toward the needs and activities of the person(s) who originated it.


This and all other articles on this blog are © copyright 2011 by Daniel G. Dillman

Genealogy Blogging Buzz - Fun AND Profit?

Wow, has there been a flood of stuff in the last few days about the genealogy blogging world!  Everything from the impact of technology to making a profit...

I'll just throw out my two cents on that last issue, if I may.

I don't believe that more than a small handful of genealogy blogs are making any serious money.  The field isn't big enough to support more than that, and most of us do it primarily as an adjunct to our hobby, not to support it entirely.  In support of that position, let me discuss this blog, Indiana Dillmans.

You may have noticed I have Google Adsense and possibly Amazon affiliate links.  I've run this blog since early January of 2011, about 3.5 months.  In that time I've had just over 1600 page views, pretty small in the big picture, but very gratifying to me.  I wasn't sure I'd get anyone else interested in what I had to say!  Those 1600 page views have netted me (in theory!) a grand total of about $3.00.  Yep, three bucks.  And I say in theory because I have not received a payment.   Google doesn't pay out until you have a certain amount coming.  Granted, by using Blogger I have little or no cost up front in the blog, but I have spent many hours getting it going and continuing to post.  This is not a paying proposition for me.

I don't understand the mindset of those who say we shouldn't profit from our genealogy blogs.  America is the land of opportunity, and people have immigrated here for centuries for the express purpose of creating a better life for themselves by taking opportunities to make money to improve their lot.  Where do people get off saying I shouldn't do that?  Okay, so the tradition of family history (as opposed to professional genealogy) is to share information freely.  I get that, I do share my data when asked.  But I'm not charging for that data on my blog!  Technically, I'm not charging for anything on my blog, I just include some advertising links.  And I try to keep that minimal as well, since I personally don't like seeing a lot of advertising alongside what I'm trying to read.  This probably explains why I've only racked up $3.00.  If you don't like the advertising, I won't be offended if you stop reading my blog.  Disappointed, perhaps. 

What about guys like Dick Eastman?  Consensus seems to be he has the biggest genealogy blog out there, and he does charge for some of his output.  Good for him, if enough people are willing to pay for what he's saying!  We're all free to choose to pay and read, or not.  If his information is really that important to you, then admit it and pay!  Much of the information he's been writing could be found elsewhere, but then it might take you a bunch of time to do your own research and get the same level of information.  If you have more time than money, and that's your inclination, then by all means!  But if your time is valuable, then it might just be worth paying Dick for his efforts in doing the research for you.  I bet he thinks his time is valuable, too!

For some of you, it may be about the money.  Everything costs, these days, and there's never enough money at the end of the month.  I understand perfectly.  I've been unemployed most of the last two years due to the lovely state of our economy.  Sites like Ancestry.com have all of those images and lovely data, but I can't afford the subscription at this point.  So, what can I do?  I look at alternate sites.   My public library offers Heritage Quest, which has a lot of images and indexes for genealogical data.  Familysearch.org also offers a lot of this material.  Both are free.  Would I like the data on Ancestry?  Sure!  And when I can afford it, I'll pay.  But the point I'm trying to make is that there are free alternatives that will get you pretty far, if money is your issue.

I guess my overall position on this is that if you're offended by genealogy bloggers trying to get a little back out of their blogs in a financial sense, then you're not living in the present, you're stuck in the past.  We're at the point, for most of us non-wealthy folks) where putting food on the table and a roof over our heads has become much less of a given thing, and we need to place priorities on our activities.  Things that can make some money will naturally come out ahead in the priority setting.  If you can make a little money with your blog, go for it!

Whew!  That was about triple what I planned to say when I started.  If you've stuck with me and read all the way through, I thank you.  I'm over the worst of my cold, and finished training for my new job, so I should be back to posting more regularly now, and hopefully you'll get more useful content real soon!

UPDATE: I went back and looked at the blog stats, and it's about 1950 views, not 1650.  So, a few more pages viewed, no more money earned.  This is definitely NOT a source of income for me.

Open Thread Thursday - Genealogy Societies

This week’s topic for Open Thread Thursday is:

In a post- RootsTech genealogy world, what steps do genealogy societies need to take to appear relevant to and a necessary resource for the changing genealogy community?

Okay.  I'm not sure how much room I have to talk on this one, as I am not, nor have I ever been, a member of a genealogy or historical society.

Maybe that fact, in itself, is my opening.  I have never felt a real draw to become a member of said societies.  Why not?  Well, first and foremost, I never saw a huge benefit for doing so.  I've always been among the youngest of people I knew who were doing genealogy.  Even in the association researching my surname, I'm the young guy who handles a lot of the technology.  Not all, as some of those association folks are pretty savvy, but a good chunk, especially while at association gatherings.  Genealogy Societies always looked to me like a bunch of stodgy old geezers who would laugh me out because I chose to do as much as possible electronically, and was more focused on finding ancestors than fully, properly documenting and citing my sources.

I'll admit I do need to do more work on my documentation, and I'm working on that, but I'm sticking to my guns in doing as much as possible in electronic formats.  I don't have space for linear yards of paper documentation.  I don't have time and money to traipse all over the country collecting hard copy documentation.  I don't have money to send to NARA or wherever (some at up to $27 per copy!) for documents.  I've gone so far as to order a copy of my paternal grandfather's military records, but that's probably going to be it for the foreseeable future.  If I were going to join a society, it would probably be the New England Historic Genealogical Society as I have ancestry that was prominent in early New England.

I'll admit I need to do a lot of work on my source citations, and I have been avidly reading Randy Seaver's and James Tanner's blogs about the subject.  I'm rather hoping the people working on a better GEDCOM (whether that be BetterGEDCOM or something else) will come up with a viable new standard, and the software vendors will support it, such that our citations will not be lost or mangled in transfers.  I'm hoping those same vendors will improve their software to make it not only easier to do proper citations, but aggressively assist users in doing so. 

That said, I still don't see a huge benefit to joining one of these societies.  Is it really worth it for the periodical newsletter?  DO they also have databases I could then access electronically?  Are they actively pursuing technological ways and means?  Or are they all hidebound old codgers who can't be bothered to learn computers?

Are you a member?  Of which one(s)?  How has it benefited you?  Please see if you can give me a convincing argument in favor of joining in the comments below!

Follow Friday - Genealogy For Kids

I'm 44 years old.  I've been doing family history and genealogy since before I was 20.  In all of that time, I've always been one of the youngest, if not the youngest, of any gathering of genealogists I've attended.  It seems to be a hobby of the older folks, although there are exceptions.  By the time we get old and interested in family history, we don;t have enough time left to do all of the research and organizing and publishing that needs to be done.  Sometimes it's hard to find anyone in the next generation who is interested enough to which we can pass the task.

Recently I was made aware of Jennifer Holik-Urban's website, Genealogy For Kids.  The blog is written in language that makes it more readable for kids while not dumbing down the subject matter.  It presents ways in which kids can begin researching their own family history from information sources readily available to them, including interviewing parents and grandparents, with sample questions given. 

I believe kids need a sense of where they've come from in order to know which way they should be going.  Family history is a good way to encourage that.  Genealogy For Kids is a great resource for getting kids started!

52 Weeks of Personal genealogy - Week 5, Favorite Foods

I remember meals when I was growing up to be a mix of midwestern meat & potatoes type meals, with an injection of southern style cooking.  My father is from near Huron, South Dakota, thus the meat & potatoes.  My mother is from Louisiana, whence the southern style.   I was a very picky eater as a child, and stubborn, to boot!  My poor mother ended up cooking what I'm sure she felt was bland, repetitive meals that I would eat, as I was able to out-stubborn her in refusing to eat things I didn't like (or thought I didn't like).  It turns out there is some basis for me and other picky eaters - see this somewhat technical article on Supertasters at Wikipedia and this one at CNN.  What I find interesting is that each article talks about foods that supertasters find repulsive, and I like some of what's on each list, but don't like much of what's on most of the lists.  Odd, and I digress.

My favorite food was (and still is) beef steak.  Preferably grilled.  My father likes to grill a steak into shoe leather, and I grew up eating steaks cooked this way.  Only after I got older, moved out on my own and started grilling my own steaks did I realize what I had been missing!  I still don't go less than a medium by choice, but at that point they are still juicy and flavorful.  And I've grown used to family comments about the meat still mooing at me when I cut into it.  

I've enlarged the range of foods I eat as I've grown older and tried new things, though most people would still call me a picky eater.  One thing I've also acquired is heartburn, with several notable triggers.  Unfortunately, some of those triggers are things I like to eat!  I don't see how that's fair, whoever decided to invent heartburn!

What are your favorite foods?  Are you a Supertaster?  Discuss in the comments below!

Open Thread Thursday – Ancestry and the Genealogy Community

This week’s topic for Open Thread Thursday (blurb shamelessly lifted from Geneabloggers) is:

This week Ancestry.com announced that it would cease operation of Expert Connect on February 3, 2011. This has caused much discussion on various genealogy blogs and mailing lists about Ancestry.com’s commitment to and role in the genealogy community.

What are your opinions about Ancestry.com’s role in the genealogy community? Does the biggest player in the industry have any duty to this vibrant group of genealogists and family historians? Or is its duty solely to its stockholders and customers since Ancestry went public in late 2009?

It's hard to do genealogy and not have feelings one way or another about Ancestry.com.  They are the major player.  They have been buying out smaller outlets.  They have the pull to arbitrarily change how things are.

They are a business, and businesses exist to make money for someone.  Ancestry's business happens to be in digitizing, indexing and hosting many millions of vital records from all over the world.  Yes, the records are largely public data, but Ancestry has gone through the time and effort of digitizing and indexing the data, checking and correcting errors.  Do I think they deserve to be able to charge for the service they provide?  Certainly.  Do I think they are overpriced?  I do happen to think so, but I come at genealogy as a hobbyist, in my spare time and for my own enjoyment.  Professional genealogists might see it differently.

One thing that does bother me about Ancestry.com lately is their new hobby of buying up other online data repositories.  Once bought, those repositories now require payment to Ancestry.com for access.  And there is less competition, which means less requirement for providing quality goods and services.  I think this harms the genealogy community overall. 

I have used the occasional temporary freebie offers that Ancestry.com has made available to obtain document scans and other records.  I appreciate these offers.  However, my budget dictates that I rely on freely available materials as much as possible, so I tend to use FamilySearch.org or HeritageQuest, which is available to me through my local public library.  It oftentimes gripes me that Ancestry.com costs as much as it does, or at all, but I do understand the effort involved in what they do, and the need for any business to make money.

TL;DR: Ancestry.com does what they do to make money.  If you need it, pay, if not, find freebie alternatives and be satisfied.

(TL;DR is geek shorthand for Too Long; Didn't Read, and is the way techy folks are summarizing long posts these days.)

Friday Fun

We genealogy buffs tend to be a wordy bunch, and that is nowhere more apparent than on genealogy blogs such as this one.  Blogs give us a forum where we can show off our finds, discuss tools and tips, ponder deeper issues of family and history, etc.  Some of us go on at great length in... okay, I'll get to the point of this post.

We typically use a lot of words.  But what if we were constrained in length?  For instance, Twitter imposes a 140 character limit per tweet, similar to texting.  How would you discuss genealogy in such a limited space?  Strangely enough, it was a tweet (a Twitter message) from @MyHeritage (Twitter user names are preceded by the "@" symbol) that made me aware of the fun little web gadget I'm bringing you today.  You may have seen blogs that include a 'Labels' listing.  This blog does, down on the right side.  It lists the labels we bloggers add to our entries to try to make them searchable, and to give some quick idea of the content of the article.  Blogger's Labels widget is fairly primitive in that it doesn't give much option for the format of the output.  A website called Wordle has take the concept much further.  Wordle lets you point at any blog or website and it will generate a 'label cloud' from the words it finds, varying the size of the words by frequency of use, and making interesting shapes of the output.  It also uses a variety of fonts and colors to spice it up further.  Even better, you can manually tweak a number of settings and it will rework the label cloud for you until you have something you like.  As of just prior to this post, my cloud looks something like this:

I encourage you to try Wordle and see what it makes of your favorite blog.  Now that I've written all of that, I'm getting little bells in my head that this may also have been covered by Thomas McEntee over at Geneabloggers.  This is probably the case, as I've found his blog to be very helpful and influential in getting my own blog off the ground.  You should probably go read his, too! 

Have a great weekend!

Saturday Night Genealogy Fun!

In a nod to Randy Seaver over at Genea-Musings,

It's Saturday Night again - time for some more Genealogy Fun!!

Here is your assignment if you choose to play along (cue the Mission Impossible music, please!):

1) How old is one of your grandfathers now, or how old would he be if he had lived? Divide this number by 4 and round the number off to a whole number. This is your "roulette number."

2) Use your pedigree charts or your family tree genealogy software program to find the person with that number in your ancestral name list (some people call it an "ahnentafel"). Who is that person?

3) Tell us three facts about that person in your ancestral name list with the "roulette number."

4) Write about it in a blog post on your own blog, in a Facebook note or comment, or as a comment on this blog post.

5) If you do not have a person's name for your "roulette number" then spin the wheel again - pick a grandmother, or yourself, a parent, a favorite aunt or cousin, or even your children!
Here's mine:

1) I'll use my paternal grandfather, Estel E. Dillman.  He was born  21 Dec 1908 and died 06 Nov 1982.  He would now be 102 years old.  Dividing by 4 gives 25.5, rounding off gives 26 for my roulette number.

2) Person #26 is Franz Anton Legrand.

3) He was born 15 Dec 1729 in Rhaunen, Hunsrück, Deutschland.  He died on 29 Jan 1796 in Niederweiler, Hunsrück, Deutschland.  He married Anna Maria Susanna Schleich.

4) I am blog posting this.  I will put a response over at Genea-Musings linking to the blog post.

5) Not applicable, I won on the first spin!

Thanks, Randy, this was a fun little game, I hope you get lots of people playing along!