google-site-verification: google65e716d80989ba07.html The Tech Savvy Genealogist Meme - A Great Tool! | The Armchair Genealogist

The Tech Savvy Genealogist Meme - A Great Tool!


Never in a million years would I ever call myself a tech-savvy genealogist. So when the meme The Tech-Savvy Genealogist created by Geniaus started circulating this week, I quickly passed, thinking, ah, yeah right. Then I started reading blog posts by others who participated in the meme, I was pleasantly surprised. There were 50 items in the original post, John at Transylvanian Dutch expanded the list to 80, and also reworded two of her entries, #4 and #40, that is the list I have used below. 

First, I was pleasantly surprised when I didn’t fail this little exercise miserably but also I found it a great exercise to create a To-Do List of things you still wish to achieve or learn. Of course, as technology speeds along this list will change, some will fall away and others will be added. However, it's a great  tool to pinpoint some of techy things you want to learn. 

Of course you don’t need to have "the tech list" to be a great genealogist. Even if your not a blogger but a reader who wants to develop your tech-savvy genealogy skills, consider taking a look at this list as a tool to identify some of the tech skills you wish to conquer as a genealogist. 



The list should be annotated in the following manner: 

 Things you have already done or found: bold face type
Things you would like to do or find: italicize (colour optional)
Things you haven’t done or found and don’t care to: plain type

Feel free to add extra comments in brackets after each item 


Which of these apply to you?

1. Own an Android or Windows tablet or an iPad  (until my Netbook dies see no purpose in having both)
2. Use a tablet or iPad for genealogy related purposes
3. Use a Kindle, Nook, or other e-reader for genealogy related purposes
4. Have used Skype or Google Video Chat to for genealogy purposes
5. Have used a camera to capture images in a library/archives/ancestor's home
6. Use a genealogy software program on your computer to manage your family tree
7. Use multiple genealogy software programs because they each have different functionalities.
8. Have a Twitter account
9. Tweet daily
10. Have a genealogy blog
11. Have more than one genealogy blog
12. Have lectured/presented to a genealogy group on a technology topic
13. Currently an active member of Genealogy Wise  (Still have an account, but not active on it)
14. Have a Facebook Account
15. Have connected with genealogists via Facebook
16. Maintain a genealogy related Facebook Page
17. Maintain a blog or website for a genealogy society
18. Have submitted text corrections online to Ancestry, Trove or a similar site
19. Have added content to a Person Page on Fold3 (formerly Footnote)
20. Have registered a domain name
21. Post regularly to Google+ (how about irregularly) 
22. Have participated in a genealogy-related Google+ hangout
23. Have a blog listed on Geneabloggers
24. Have a blog listed on Cyndi's List
25. Have transcribed/indexed records for FamilySearch or a similar project
26. Have converted a family audiotape to digital
27. Have converted a family videotape to digital

28. Have converted family movies pre-dating videotape to digital.(haven’t done it personally but paid someone to convert 8mm)
29. Own a Flip-Pal or hand-held scanner (on my Christmas list)
30. Can code a webpage in .html (not very well)

31. Can code a webpage in .html using Notepad (or any other text-only software) (not remotely interested but certainly understand the value)
32. Can write scripts for your webpage in at least one programming language       (ditto)
33. Can write scripts for your webpage in multiple programming languages            (ditto)
34. Own a smartphone (no need presently, my husband has one, as a stay at home Mom, my Netbook does the trick, maybe someday)
35. Have a personal subscription to one or more paid genealogy databases
36. Have a local library card that offers you home access to online databases, and you use that access.
37. Use a digital voice recorder to record genealogy lectures (not lectures but family interviews just as important)
38. Have contributed to a genealogy blog carnival
39. Have hosted a genealogy blog carnival
40. Use an Internet Browser that didn’t come installed on your computer
41. Have participated in a genealogy webinar
42. Have taken a DNA test for genealogy purposes

43. Have a personal genealogy website

44. Have found mention of an ancestor in an online newspaper archive
45. Have tweeted during a genealogy lecture
46. Have tweeted during a family reunion
47. Have scanned your hardcopy genealogy files
48. Use an RSS Reader to follow genealogy news and blogs
49. Have uploaded a gedcom file to a site like Geni, MyHeritage or Ancestry
50. Own a netbook
51. Use a computer/tablet/smartphone to take genealogy lecture notes
52. Have a profile on LinkedIn that mentions your genealogy habit
53. Have developed a genealogy software program, app or widget

54. Have listened to a genealogy podcast online
55. Have downloaded genealogy podcasts for later listening
56. Backup your files to a portable hard drive
57. Have a copy of your genealogy files stored offsite

58. Know about RootsTech
59. Have listened to a BlogTalk radio session about genealogy
60. Use Dropbox, SugarSync or other service to save documents in the cloud

61. Schedule regular email backups
62. Have contributed to the FamilySearch Wiki
63. Have scanned and tagged your genealogy photographs
64. Have published a genealogy book in an online/digital format
65. Brought a USB device to a microfilm repository so you could download instead of print.
66. Have a wearable USB device containing important files. (Watch, keychain necklace, etc)
67. Created a map on Google Maps plotting ancestral homes or business
68. Recorded the GPS coordinates for a tombstone, or ancestral home
69. Edited the Wikipedia entry for an ancestor, or their kin
70. Created an entry at FindAGrave for a person
71. Created an entry at FindAGrave for a cemetery
72. Uploaded the MediaWiki software (or TikiWiki, or PhpWiki) to your family website. 

73. Have downloaded a video (for genealogical purposes) from YouTube or other streaming video site using KeepVid.com, or in some other fashion
74. Have transferred a video from a DVR to your computer for genealogical purposes
75. Have participated in a ScanFest
76. Have started a Genealogy-related meme at least one other geneablogger participated in. 77. Have started a Genealogy-related weekly blogging theme other geneabloggers participated in.
78. Have used Photoshop (or other editing software) to ‘clean up’ an old family photo
79. Done digital scrapbooking
80. Printed out a satellite photo from Google Maps of a cemetery, and marked where a tombstone was located on it.

Of all the items you listed as those you want to accomplish what would be the one or two on the top of your list? Feel free to comment below.