Genealogy

Should incest-warning app be a Facebook service?

Meeting someone in a club or a bar -- or even a church -- has its dangers.

You don't know who they really are. You don't know what they're like in a bad mood, as opposed to a bed mood. And you have no idea if they're really your cousin.

Such dilemmas have struck all those who are seeking love, or merely the comfort of warm, fragrant skin on a chilly Wednesday night.

Some extreme intellectuals in Iceland have decided to assist society's thrust toward safer human interaction.

They have created IslendingaApp, an app that gives you fair warning if the target of your pupillary expansion is, in fact, a close relative.… Read more

Three ways to research your family tree

The April 2, 2012, release by the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration of the 1940 U.S. census data has genealogists all aquiver. If you were hoping to plumb the records for details on your family, keep in mind that the initial release of the data will be a challenge to search.

As the National Archives' 1940 census FAQ indicates, until professional and amateur genealogists have indexed the names and other data collected by that census, the only way to find specific entries will be by the "enumeration district" where a given person lived at the … Read more

Grow your family tree with Family Tree Builder

Genealogy comprises one of the largest categories of Internet resources, and it's a popular pastime with millions of people around the world, and more every day. MyHeritage's Family Tree Builder is a free genealogical tool that makes it super-easy to get started mapping out your family history using a variety of resources. It includes many up-to-date features, such as Face Recognition Technology for identifying ancestors in old photographs and the ability to publish your family tree online so others can compare their research to yours. It can import GEDCOM data, too.

We've seen many genealogy tools, but … Read more

Start on your Ancestral Quest

Ancestral Quest is genealogical research freeware that can search over 1 billion entries freely at FamilySearch as well as 500 million names, though that feature requires a free log-in ID. You can also upgrade to the paid version for access to more search options. However, the free tool offers a lot.

Ancestral Quest's installer let us opt for free or paid searches, something that happened frequently while using the freeware version, though that's why it's free. The setup also gave us the option to search Ancestry.com (though a subscription may be required) and make other choices. … Read more

DNA helps link Obama and Senator-elect Brown

DNA testing, in use since the late 1970s, has helped demonstrate that we are all, if distantly, related, and that there is only one race: the human race. (Cue "Kumbaya.") With nearly 100 percent accuracy, testing one's DNA--genetically inherited from both parents and found in every part of the body--has become a standard means of identifying biological relationships.

So it should come as no surprise when certain celebrities are linked, as happened last week when DNA testing showed that George Stephanopoulos, co-anchor of ABC News' "Good Morning America" who recently took a DNA test … Read more

Buggy genealogy program

Kith and Kin Pro is a versatile family tree program that allows users to create flexible diagrams of their families. Although we like a lot of the program's features, it has some functional problems that make it hard to use.

The program's interface is not particularly intuitive, although the Help file explains most of its features. The fact that users have to right-click on a field that looks like it's grayed out in order to enter family members is especially unintuitive, and in general the entire process of adding family details could be easier. Still, with a … Read more

Difficult genealogy tool

IN-HEH Timeline offers to help organize a family tree by creating a time line of people and events. While its aim is not uncommon, its confusing setup and total lack of direction stall this program before it ever begins.

The program's interface was our first clue that things would be difficult. Dissected into separate stark white boxes with many commands that don't make sense, it mandated a retreat to the Help file. Unfortunately, there was no Help file, just technical product information. We soldiered on, experimenting with the program in hopes of creating a timeline. The program allowed … Read more

Family tree data enhancer

TreeDraw enhances family trees imported into the program from "Kith and Kin Pro" databases or from GEDCOM files produced by other genealogy programs. Once you import your family tree data into TreeDraw, you can add text, photos, and graphics to the file or combine family trees.

TreeDraw's interface is easy to navigate and use. The Help file automatically launches the first time you open the program. It offers tutorials on getting started with TreeDraw as well as a PDF version of the user manual. TreeDraw is a great application for genealogy buffs who have family data saved … Read more

Genealogical wonder

Whether you are a professional academic or a family-history hobbyist, GenoPro 2007 can undoubtedly meet your genealogical needs. GenoPro lets you do everything you would expect from genealogy software, such as create family profiles, link individuals, and add such information as birth and death dates. But where GenoPro excels is in the collection of additional metadata.

The best example of this is the program's options to characterize the emotional relationship between two people. The software cuts to the chase, offering such unique descriptions as Violence, Cut-off/Estranged, and Manipulative. Moreover, you are not limited to creating families: the software … Read more

Dynastree maps out your last name

Dynastree (formerly ItsOurTree.com) has a new tool that shows you where others with your last name live. You simply type in your name and it shows you on a state-by-state basis where there are others who share it. Of course if your last name is "Smith" or "Jones" this won't help much, but I found it to be spot on with mine.

Besides the U.S., which has approximately 1.7 million last names in its database, you can also search all of Canada. Included with both is a small analysis right below the … Read more