Geni is a collaborative online service that is solving many of the problems of genealogy by inviting the world to build the definitive online family tree. Using the basic free service at Geni.com, users add and invite their relatives to join their family tree, which Geni compares to other trees. Matching trees are then merged into the single world family tree, which currently contains nearly 50 million living users and their ancestors. Pay services include enhanced research tools as well as keepsake products created from family tree data.
At the recent Southern California Genealogy Jamboree held in Burbank, I had a chance to talk with Grant Brunner, Community Outreach Manager at Geni.com. You can listen to our conversation by clicking on PLAY in the link below.
(The picture above and to the right is of Grant Brunner and myself.)
Grant talked about his job and about the services offered by Geni.com. He described how Geni is constantly "self-grooming." That is, how to enter data as well as how to correct previously-entered erroneous information and how to mediate conflicts. As a result, the information entered on Geni.com is constantly being improved. He also described the mechanics of how Geni.com allows users to document ancestors. He described the discussion forum available for each person listed in the database as well as such things as both metaphone and Soundex searches.
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