Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter

On the Road… Yet Again

This week’s newsletter was written in hotel rooms, in airport waiting areas, and on board Northwest Airlines’ big Airbuses. In fact, it seems that most of the newsletters in recent weeks have been written in similar conditions. I usually enjoy travel but I’ll admit that all these trips make me woefully aware of the technology limitations afforded travelers. To wit, I’m going through a spell of gadget deprivation.

NGS Conference in Sacramento is a Success

I spent four days this week at the annual conference of the (U.S.) National Genealogical Society. These events usually are well attended and well executed. This year’s event was far more interesting than usual, however.

Alvy Ray Smith Wins Award of Excellence

Alvy Ray Smith is a man of many talents: artist, engineer, Academy Award winner, and genealogist. He co-founded (with Steve Jobs) Pixar Studios (Toy Story, A Bug's Life, Monsters, Inc. and Finding Nemo) and Altimura, Inc. Earlier he served as Director of Computer Graphics Research at Lucas Films. He also was the first Graphics Fellow at Microsoft from 1994 to 1999. He can now add another honor to his list: winner of the National Genealogical Society's Award for Excellence.

New Products and Services Seen at NGS Conference

Due to my own scheduling challenges, I did not get to visit with all the vendors at this year’s NGS conference. However, those I did talk with all seemed pleased with the event, even with a lower attendance than most past conferences. In fact, one vendor who has exhibited at both NGS and other genealogy conferences in past years reported that they had the highest sales this week of any event they had ever attended. I am sure this was not true for all vendors, but it is still reassuring to hear of successful experiences.

Here are a few of the newer things that I saw as I wandered the Exhibit Hall:

The Best Part of the Conference: The Party After

After most of the larger genealogy conferences, I typically invite readers of this newsletter out to a "Dutch Treat" dinner at a local watering hole. This week I was delighted when 22 newsletter readers joined me at a nearby micro brewery for food and various liquid refreshments. We had a private room in the back of the restaurant where we could be as raucous as we wished without bothering the other patrons in the restaurant. (Actually, I think the restaurant’s main room was as noisy as ours!)

RootsMagic Version 2.0

The following is an announcement from RootsMagic, Inc.:

New Version 2 Offers Dynamic Wall Charts, Full Publishing Capabilities, and a Host of New Features

SPRINGVILLE, Utah, May 24 -- RootsMagic, Inc., a leader in family history software, today announced the release of its award winning family tree software RootsMagic 2.0.

Update: Texas Libraries' Funding Efforts

The following is a message I received this week from Mic Barnette:

Dear Dick and All Your Readers:

Thank you and your readers very much for your support in publicizing and their help with our overcoming budgetary problems here in Texas.

As stated in your e-zine last week, the campaign to raise funds to retain Heritage Quest in our TexShare program was successful.

Xerox Gives $1M to Establish Library at Freedom Center

Xerox Corp. donated $1 million to help create the John Parker Library at Cincinnati's new National Underground Railroad Freedom Center. The gift was presented by Xerox Foundation Vice President Joseph Cahalan.