The document discusses the latest preservation technology for genealogists, focusing on ensuring genealogy data remains readable in the future and how to easily share data. It covers traditional methods like paper, which is fragile, and microfilm, which requires optimal storage conditions. Modern options discussed include digitizing files and storing multiple backups on different media like CDs, DVDs, drives and cloud services. Cloud computing allows sharing data online while maintaining control. Technologies like smartphones and tablets have made genealogy research more portable and collaborative. Overall the document promotes digitizing and securely backing up data across various media to preserve family history for generations to come.

1. Latest Preservation Technology for
Genealogists
Keeping Up With Technology
Dick Eastman
March 4, 2017

2. Today’s slides are available at:
http://www.eogn.com/handouts/preservation

3. The Latest Technology for
Genealogists
• Today’s presentation will focus on two areas:
– How to make sure your genealogy data is still
readable by future generations
– How to easily share as little or as much
information as you wish

4. Paper and Ink
Paper

5. Paper and Ink
Paper is one of the most
fragile storage methods
available!
Easily destroyed by fire,
moisture, mold, mildew,
insects, and more.

6. Paper and Ink
Paper
Acids?
Acid free?

7. Paper and Ink
Ink
Real ink
Ink jet
Toner

8. Microfilm

9. Microfilm
Life Expectancy
is 200 to 300
years
… if stored in
optimal
conditions
… and if it is
never used!

10. Microfilm
Scratches easily
Requires master
copies that are
only used to
make copies
Even then,
suffers some
degradation

12. Microfilm
Problem:
Most
manufacturers
no longer
produce new
microfilm!

13. Microfilm
Even
FamilySearch
has
abandoned
microfilm and
gone all digital
for all new
projects.

14. Microfilm
More than 185 digital camera
crews are now at work
throughout the world,
capturing images six days a
week.
FamilySearch now creates an
average of 10 new digital
images every second of every
day and publishes them at
familysearch.org within a
matter of weeks.
Reference:
https://familysearch.org/node/1615

15. Microfilm
FamilySearch is digitizing
all the records in its
granite vaults. Millions of
rolls of microfilm,
captured in more than 100
countries since 1939, will
be digitized, and then
indexed by a massive
volunteer force.
Expected completion
date: less than 10 years
from now for digitizing
and making images
available online.

16. Microfilm
Other non-profits,
including Internet
Archive and Allen
County Public Library
(one of the country's
largest genealogy
libraries), are
digitizing content.

17. How Can You Preserve Your Data?
• Create Digital Files
• Make multiple copies
• Store them in multiple places
• Keep them spinning!!!

18. Make multiple backups!
• Make them on multiple forms of media: CD,
DVD, USB jump drives, external hard drives,
online (in the cloud), etc.
• Never, ever depend on one backup!
• Store your backups in multiple locations
• Keep them spinning!!!

19. Online Backups are the Cheapest!
• Free of charge (up to 2 gigabytes on many
services, even more on a few services)
• Paid Services start at $0.02 per gigabyte per
month (Amazon Glacier)
• Much cheaper than purchasing a hard drive!
• But requires a broadband connection

20. Many Services to Choose From!
• Mozy
• Backblaze
• Dropbox
• iBackup
• Carbonite
• CrashPlan
• Mega.nz
• … and many more

21. Make multiple backups!
• Again, never depend on any one backup
• Make multiple backups
• To different media
• Save them in different locations!

22. Part 2 – Sharing Data
• Let’s Focus on Two Closely-Related Terms:
– Cloud Computing
– Online Everywhere

23. What Is Cloud Computing?

24. Cloud Computing is the Sharing of
Resources, typically across the
Internet

25. Cloud Computing
• Cloud computing can simply be the sharing of
disk space…
• Or the sharing of applications on different
computers
• With remote access by an individual

26. Cloud Computing
• Data can be preserved forever by…
• Periodically copying it to new media, both
online and offline.

27. Current Examples of Cloud Computing
include:
• Gmail
• HotMail
• Google Docs
• Various backup programs
• Online photo editing programs
• MyHeritage.com
• Ancestry.com

28. Placing your information in the cloud
provides flexibility: you have many
options
• Keep all your information private but
protected and backed up in state-of-the-art
data centers
• Share bits and pieces of your information but
only with people you choose
• Share with groups of people but only with
passwords
• Make information freely available to everyone

29. You remain in control of your
information at all times

30. Examples of SHARED Cloud Computing
Services include:
• Ancestry.com’s OneWorldTree
• RootsWeb
• OneGreatFamily.com
• FamilySearch
• And other online databases with information
contributed by users
• The information you contribute is “pooled”
with info supplied by others

31. In contrast, you can be “webmaster”
and control all access to your
information:
• The Next Generation
• WebTrees.net
• MyHeritage.com
• And other products where one person or one
group controls all access

32. What is a computer?
• One third of the world's population is now
carrying a smartphone.
• More than 1 billion smartphones have been
sold.
• There are many family history apps.

33. What is a computer?
• The form factor of iPads, tablet computers,
and smart phones make them convenient for
people doing family history from anywhere.
• Millions of genealogists are taking snapshots
of tombstones or other kinds of documents,
and uploading them to "the cloud" where they
are accessible on various web sites.

34. Cloud Computing Allows You To:
• Remain in control of your own information at
all times, if you wish to do so
• Easily find matching information supplied by
others and to allow others to find matching
information within your database
• Provide security and redundancy by backups
• Access your information from anywhere at
any time.

38. You Can Preserve Forever and
Share Your Data as YOU Wish!

39. Any questions?

40. Today’s slides are available at:
http://www.eogn.com/handouts/preservation