From roots-in@roots-l.rootsweb.com Fri Aug 11 11:22:04 2006 Received: from mail.rootsweb.com (mail.rootsweb.com [192.168.65.34]) by admin.rootsweb.com (8.12.8/8.12.8) with ESMTP id k7BHM4jb022443; Fri, 11 Aug 2006 11:22:04 -0600 Received: from roots-l.rootsweb.com (roots-l.rootsweb.com [66.43.16.22]) by mail.rootsweb.com (8.13.4/8.13.4) with ESMTP id k7BHM2s7030995 for ; Fri, 11 Aug 2006 11:22:02 -0600 Received: from roots-l.rootsweb.com (roots-l [127.0.0.1]) by roots-l.rootsweb.com (8.12.10/8.12.10) with ESMTP id k7BEgbFI028481 for ; Fri, 11 Aug 2006 10:42:37 -0400 Received: (from roots-in@localhost) by roots-l.rootsweb.com (8.12.10/8.12.8/Submit) id k7BEgb8A028480 for roots-approved@rootsweb.com; Fri, 11 Aug 2006 10:42:37 -0400 Received: from lists5.rootsweb.com (lists5.rootsweb.com [66.43.27.41]) by roots-l.rootsweb.com (8.12.10/8.12.10) with SMTP id k7BAFkFI027918 for ; Fri, 11 Aug 2006 06:15:46 -0400 Received: (from slist@localhost) by lists5.rootsweb.com (8.12.8/8.12.8) id k7BCt10H013178 for roots-in@roots-l.rootsweb.com; Fri, 11 Aug 2006 06:55:01 -0600 X-Envelope-From: mscheffl@twcny.rr.com Fri Aug 11 06:55:00 2006 Received: from mail.rootsweb.com (mail.rootsweb.com [192.168.65.34]) by admin.rootsweb.com (8.12.8/8.12.8) with ESMTP id k7BCt0jb013164 for ; Fri, 11 Aug 2006 06:55:00 -0600 Received: from ms-smtp-02.nyroc.rr.com (ms-smtp-02.nyroc.rr.com [24.24.2.56]) by mail.rootsweb.com (8.13.4/8.13.4) with ESMTP id k7BCsxUv013042 for ; Fri, 11 Aug 2006 06:54:59 -0600 Received: from m1070n (cpe-69-201-76-92.twcny.res.rr.com [69.201.76.92]) by ms-smtp-02.nyroc.rr.com (8.13.6/8.13.6) with SMTP id k7BCsu8x017284; Fri, 11 Aug 2006 08:54:58 -0400 (EDT) Message-ID: <03dc01c6bd45$57867320$6501a8c0@m1070n> From: "MScheffler" To: , References: Subject: Re: [ROOTS-L] Interesting question Date: Fri, 11 Aug 2006 08:54:53 -0400 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1"; reply-type=original Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2900.2869 X-MIMEOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2900.2869 X-Virus-Scanned: Symantec AntiVirus Scan Engine X-Scanned-By: MIMEDefang 2.52 on 192.168.65.34 X-Scanned-By: MIMEDefang 2.52 on 192.168.65.34 Sender: roots-in@roots-l.rootsweb.com Hi Don, You will get a variety of suggestions including making provision for what is done with your research in your will. You should also make a personal agreement with a family member or members now who might want to continue your work. Whatever approaches you take, talking and doing the necessary work in advance is important. For myself, I have concluded that my children will not want to carry on with my "obsession." With that in mind I have talked with them about donating the book and cd resources to a library or historical society that I believe will accept them. I still need make some calls so that I have particular places in mind. A list of these could be stored with one's will. I also need to think about what to do with the old family original photos in my possession although I have already scanned most and given them to siblings on cds. For me the most important thing is what I do NOW. I do update my genealogy database minus the living people but with notes and sources on WorldConnect at www.rootsweb.com weekly. That way if I died tomorrow my work would live on whether or not my children make a good effort to distribute it. I would recommend to everyone that wants to assure their work lives on to donate to one or more of the large shared databases that one thinks will be around 10 or 20 years from now. On WorldConnect one can limit the number of generations to be downloaded at a time, thus preventing wholescale copying of one's database into other people's without them making an effort to learn about and verify what they take. I also create ancestor books in my genealogy program, have them printed, and send them occasionally to interested family. The more widely spread around our work is, the more likely it will survive. Paper copies may well outlive information on computer media, depending how well people update their cds or other media as computer technology changes. I "intend" to donate some printed material to our local genealogy library. Whatever you send on paper, include the SOURCES, because "Aunt Jane" may not care, but the grandchild who finds her book and wants to continue your work will find them invaluable. As for the file cabinets full of papers, I assume most files of most of us will go the way of the recycler. I rarely look at them myself, and I certainly have no illusions that anyone else will take and use them. I have scanned the vital records I purchased and have put them on the cds or dvds with the family photographs. I do have major family line information in labeled folders, and perhaps there is a chance a family member might take the whole file cabinet with these, but I really don't expect anyone to take them let alone use them. Now, aren't you happy that your wife has presented you with a dilemma that is going to make work for you? Good luck. Your question was a good one and an issue important for all of us to ask and act upon. Margaret Scheffler ----- Original Message ----- From: My wife asked my an interesting question. What should she do with all my genealogy info. (FTM files, papers, etc.) if something happened to me? Don