Adventures in FamilySearch Indexing - Week 19

It's Sunday again and time for FamilySearch Indexing. I almost thought I wasn't going to be able to index today. When I opened the program I kept getting the message "Server is unavailable". I left it alone for a while and when I came back it let me in HURRAY!!

Before I begin indexing I look for any messages and I wasn't disappointed.

From: Headquarters
Subject: Release of FamilySearch Indexing 2.5
Date: 28 Nov 2007

We are pleased to announce the release of a new version of FamilySearch Indexing.

Some of the new or updated features include:

• The projects listed in the Download From...dialog will be those projects that have batches available.
• When starting an arbitration batch, the work page will always set the Recording Matching tab as the active tab to direct the user to verify that the A and B keys have the information on the same lines.
• Brightness, Contrast, and Sharpen options available to enhance images.
• Projects can include both the previous and next images.
• The nudge feature was removed.
• A page has been added to the Projects tab on the FamilySearch Indexing Web site to display a list of completed projects.
• The Contact Us page has been updated and reformatted and now includes a phone number to contact Indexing Support.
• The order of menus is now the same between the Start page and the Work page.
• The goal period may be now set for longer than 42 days (no limit set) and the progress displayed on the Start Page will remain accurate.
• The Lookup dialog will now accept the key combinations required to enter international characters and you can select characters from the International Characters dialog.

More details about the release will be available in the Family Record Extraction Memorandum - November/December 2007. Please contact your stake extraction director if you would like a copy of the memorandum. A copy will also be available in the Publications section of the FamilySearch Indexing Web site under the Help tab.

I looked at the version of my FamilySearch Indexing program and it was 1.1194 dated 28 Nov 2007. Since I always want the latest and newest version of anything I tried downloading the program again at www.familysearchindexing.org to see if that was the new release. I still got the same version number 1.1194. Not sure what is up with that deal, it does say 28 Nov 2007 build but not the 2.5 version. I guess I will have to do some investigating on that!

My indexing was uneventful and went by rather quickly. Which in a way was a good thing. I seem to be trying to cram a weeks worth of living into the weekends. This is leading to some major genealogy withdrawal symptoms. I really need to get through all my emails and just respond to the genealogy inquires sent to me. Plus of course I have my blog articles to write. If it wasn't for the set time to do FamilySearch Indexing I would feel like a non-contributing person in the genealogy scheme of things, and that will never do.

Only two more weeks of full time training and then I can work from home part-time. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. I will have a real life again. All I can say is I'm really impressed with those that work full-time and still find time to do FamilySearch Indexing. Oh, I guess that has been me, hehe. It has only been through the grace of God that I have had the energy to do that. The only help I can give people that are attempting to do FamilySearch Indexing while working is to dedicate a set time to do it - otherwise it might never get done. Sunday sure has been the best day for me. Maybe the "server is unavailable" message was letting me know everyone else thinks it's the best time too!

I indexed 84 names today from the 1850 U.S. Federal Census for the state of Vermont. That makes a grand total of 1,846 names indexed to date. I can see 2,000 names appearing in the distance.

See ya tomorrow, for tomorrow is always another genealogy day!