Ten
years ago I had a couple big binders and assorted color coded folders for my
genealogy research. Then I learned about a computer program that could organize
it all and it would allow me to print out family group sheets and outlines. It
was made by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter – day Saints. They were the
famous genealogy people so it had to be good.
In
January 1993 I ordered the 2.2 version of Personal Ancestral File. I was
recently cleaning out the drawers of an old desk and discovered I still had the
box, complete with 2 floppy discs, the ‘Get Started’ manual and the dated receipt.
The manual included basic instructions you’d never see today including, ‘How
Does the Computer Keyboard Work?’ which explained the differences between a
typewriter & a keyboard. Now that seems funny but it was useful then.
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| How Does the Keyboard Work? |
I
remember how excited I was when it arrived and how nervous I felt as I slid the
first floppy disc into our desktop computer. Once installed, the Main Menu
popped up. Options: add, modify or delete records, pedigree search, notes, prints
forms & reports, focus/design reports, match/merge, facts and fun, system
utilities. Just type the number of the appropriate command and hit enter. It
was all new and the possibilities seemed endless. I saw myself as a true
genealogist now; not just a collector of bits of paper and notes.
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| Main Menu |
Starting
with myself, I carefully typed in family names, places of birth, Christening,
death and burial. Each person was automatically assigned a RIN (record
identification number). I was proud of myself as the numbers increased. I
gained confidence and typed faster, watching my family grow. Adding source
information didn’t seem like a priority at the time. Later, of course, I wished
I had. Soon I was proudly printing things out to share with my family.
Now
all of it looks embarrassingly simple. Years ago I was able to move my
information into Family Tree Maker, which I update every couple years. I
can print charts, trees & many different reports. Next decision: do I toss it all
away or save it for the future?
Now isn't that a trip down memory lane! I'm with you--I was on Family Tree Maker so many years ago. Can't say what you should do with that old set. It does look like it is in excellent condition, but I'm sure it would be no more than a curiosity nowadays.
ReplyDeleteAren't you glad we've made so much progress over the last couple decades?!
If you decide to save it, one day it will be a curiosity like a hair receiver. It does make you wonder whether it will be considered museum-worthy.
ReplyDelete