Adventures in FamilySearch Indexing: Week 70

This past week my mind has been obsessed with finding a replacement for my Google Notebook. I've used it to organize my genealogy research and my life. I was devastated when Google announced that they would stop development of it this week. They said they would continue to let those that have a Google Notebook use it, but to me the handwriting was on the wall.

I have looked at and compared so many different replacements that I am blurred eyed. I found nothing that compared to my Google Notebook setup. The other thing I was worried about with an online storage of my notes is that this same scenerio could happen with another company. This lead me to wish my old TreePad Plus program would run on a flash drive. I just assumed it wouldn't. It does have an ebook creator that could at least give me access to my notes. After-all this is the method I was using until I turned into a Googlite.

I hopped on the TreePad website to see if there had been any new updates. While poking around I read somewhere that it ran on a flash drive. This was exciting news to me, it could possibly be my answer. After some experimenting I was delighted to find out how well it works off the flash drive. After a week of moaning now I have peace and joy.

I just might start wearing that flash drive around my neck. On it will be my TreePad database and in the near future a copy of RootsMagic-To-Go. This will be heaven, to have my genealogy at my finger tips wherever I go.

Now you wonder what all this has to do with FamilySearch Indexing. Not much, I just can't focus well on indexing when my mind is full of clutter. My computer time right now would have been spent focusing on a solution to my problem, if it wasn't already resolved. Hopefully my little side trip and discovery will be of some use to you also. Problem solved, NEXT!

As I always begin my FamilySearch Indexing I check for any new messages from Headquarters. There are two this week. The first one is on My Messages in the program.

From: Headquarters
Subject: Indexing Tip - Zoom Out
Date: 13 Jan 2009

Every time you download a batch, zoom out to see the full image and find all of the records on the document. Sometimes an image contains a two-page document and the second page may not be visible when zoomed in at 37% or more. For example, most images in the Arkansas Marriage III project contain two pages.

To zoom out and view the full image:

1. On the toolbar, click the magnifying glass icon with the minus (-) sign.
2. Continue to click the icon until you can see the entire image.
   

Note: To zoom back in to index the records, click the magnifying glass icon with the plus (+) sign.

Our second message is off the FamilySearch Indexing website.

January 16, 2009: Administrative Reports Available

Administrators and stake extraction directors can run their reports again. Refer to the broadcast message in the indexing application for more information.

I don't see any broadcast messages in the indexing application so it must only be available to administrators and directors. I'm sure some of you will find that note useful. I never see/hear any reports on how my stake is doing in indexing. Guess I'm in never, never land over here.

Last week I tried to work on the Illinois 1920 US Federal Census because they mentioned them in a message from headquarters. It was available so I downloaded two batches. My second batch was funny and sad at the same time. The funny part was it was sheet 1 and family 1 for that town's census. You could see the census taker's handwriting very legible and then slowly it got worse down the sheet. You could see what duplication of the same entry did after a while. The sad part was it had 6 widows or widowers on that one sheet. It was sad to see all these families with children without one parent. It made me wonder what could of happened to so many adults. World War I or the flu epidemic could be a possibilities.

I had more time so I did one more batch of the Illinois 1920 US Federal Census. The ink on the page would get really clear and then fade to almost nothing. It made me wonder what type of pens they were using in 1920? Whoever it was they made sure they got every drop out of their ink before they re-dipped or reloaded the pen.

So, the total today is three batches of 50 each, making it 150 individuals indexed. My grand total to date is 10,323. This was a nice break for me for the week. Indexing is really relaxing when you let yourself just focus on what you are reading. Well, I'm off to go transfer some Google Notebook items into my TreePad database.

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