Advertisements


Cyndi's List of Genealogy Sites on the Internet
1996-2009: Your genealogy starting point online for more than a decade!
Google
Web CyndisList.com

Browse
Cyndi's List:

  • Main Index
  • Topical Index
  • Alphabetical Index
  • "No Frills" Index
  • Text-Only Index

    Search:
  • Search or Browse

  • Browse New Links
    Submit a New Link
    Mailing List
  • Browse Archives
  • Search Archives
  • RSS Archives
  • Cyndi's List BlogCyndi's List Blog

    Cyndi's List

    Promote Your Page Too


    160+ Census Databases!

    120x240 Cencus

    Free 7-Day Trial WorldVitalRecords.com

    Advertisement


    About Cyndi's List About Cyndi's List
    What is Cyndi's List?
    Support Cyndi's List
    Historical Timeline
    FAQ
    Make it Your Homepage!
    Link to Cyndi's List
    Awards & Recognition
    Internet Stuff You Need To Know
    Home Page
    Construction Kit

    About Cyndi's List About Cyndi
    FAQ
    Cyndi's Speaking Schedule & Calendar
    Cyndi's Books:
    Order Planting Your Family Tree Online from Amazon.com
    Planting Your Family Tree Online
    Netting Your Ancestors - Internet How-To Book
    Netting Your Ancestors

    Advertisements

    Footnote.com

    125 by 125 for Dealtaker 40 percent off sale

    Cyndi's List Genealogy Bookstore
    Cyndi's List Genealogy Bookstore 

    Casefile Clues - genealogy how-tos

    Read More, Spend Less. New Lower Prices on Thousands of Books!

    FamilyTreeDNA

    Try a FREE issue of Family Tree Magazine

    Advertisements


    FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) FAQ
    (Frequently Asked Questions):
    What is Cyndi's List?
    Before Sending E-mail to Cyndi...
    How to Submit a New Link to Cyndi's List
    How to Report a Broken Link Found on Cyndi's List
    How to Update an Existing Link on Cyndi's List
    New to genealogy and/or the Internet
    "Can you help me with my own research?"
    How You Can Support Cyndi's List
    More FAQs

    Advertisement

    Footnote.com

    Advertisement


    Advertisement

    120x600_newsarchive_dark_1.gif

    Advertisement


    Advertisements

    Advertisements


    Advertisements

    Advertisements


    Advertisement

    Advertisement

    Internet Stuff You Need to Know

    I created this page in order to help point fellow genealogists to responsible, helpful resources online that will aid them in understanding some of the mysteries of the Internet. There are a lot of misconceptions, rumors, hoaxes and other bits of misinformation floating about. Hopefully this page will help to dismiss some of the worries and clear up any confusion.



    Bookmarks & Favorites

    Definitions from NetLingo:    Bookmark, URL.


    Computer Viruses

    Definitions from NetLingo:    Virus, Worm, Trojan Horse.

    My best advice in regard to protecting yourself against computer viruses and worms:

    1. Install a virus protection software program that will always run in the background while you work on your computer.
    2. Once each month, download and install the latest virus signature file for your virus software.
    3. Do not open an e-mail attachment if you don't know the person that sent it to you. Delete it immediately.
    4. Do not believe most virus stories that you read as many are merely hoaxes and myths. Do not forward them to others via e-mail. Instead, please see: Vmyths.com - Truth About Computer Virus Myths & Hoaxes 


    Cookies

    A definition from NetLingo and one from the ILC Glossary of Internet Terms.


    Copyright Resources on the Web

    There are many different opinions about copyright issues and information found on the Internet. Many of them aren't based on fact or on the actual copyright laws which are in place, but rather on personal interpretation of what a copyright is. Many times this personal interpretation is one that benefits the person whose opinion it is, instead of the person who holds the copyright. Please take the time to familiarize yourself with copyright laws and be sure to respect the copyright of web site owners as you visit their pages. The following are some basic items to keep in mind while you surf. Each of these items can be found at any of the following web sites with full explanations and answers to many other related questions. Most of all, remember that the things you find on the web - text, graphics, source code - aren't public domain simply because they are there, easily available to you via your computer. They are put on the web in good faith by the owners of the web site. Ask a web site owner for permission to copy articles, files or graphics BEFORE you do so, unless permission is already given on the site.

    • All works are covered by a copyright upon creation - its not necessary to display a copyright symbol or statement in order to maintain a copyright on your work.
    • Web pages are protected by a copyright. Information contained on those web pages and all original information that is not in the public domain is protected by copyright. A compilation of works, including a set of links arranged into a compilation, IS protected by copyright.
    • URLs to web sites are not under copyright protection by themselves because they are a fact, just as telephone numbers are. However, a link is not the same as a URL:
      URL + HTML code + descriptive text = A Link
    • Graphics and other multimedia on a site are also protected by a copyright, unless they are clearly marked as public domain.
    • Source code for a web page is copyright protected. Just because you CAN copy it, doesn't mean that you SHOULD copy it. Doing so would constitute a copyright violation.


    E-mail Chain-Letters, Folklore, Hoaxes, Misunderstandings and Scams

    My best advice in response to any of the topics below is to tell you to be sure and check out all sources and all sides of the situation before you jump to any conclusions and particularly before you forward misinformation to friends online.


    Internet and Computer Terminology


    Netiquette


    Newbies


    Privacy Issues

    Thinking of putting a genealogy web site online? Do you post family information on mailing lists or newsgroups? Are you considering publishing your family history research? Please remember your family members and their right to privacy before you publish any personal information or place it online. Use some of the software utilities below to remove any information about living individuals from your GEDCOM file before generating reports and web pages. Read the articles below for advice and current opinions on this topic.

    Articles and other online privacy resources:

    Software:

    • Dave Naylor's Genealogy Program GeDStrip 
      The GeDStrip program creates HTML web pages from a standard GeDCom (available as an output file from most genealogy database programs). It excludes all data about living individuals from those pages, as well as all links for the remaining individuals.
    • GED2GO (GEDCOMs to go) 
      For MS-DOS, runs under Windows also. A utility program which automatically finds and removes living persons from GEDCOM files.
    • GEDClean Home Page 
      For Windows. A utility used to "clean" info about living individuals out of a GEDCOM file in order to maintain privacy.
    • gedliving 
      For Windows. Software that privitizes a GEDCOM file.
    • Res Privata 
      For Windows. An easy to use application for filtering private data from genealogy database (GEDCOM or GED) files. It can filter birth, death, marriage, adoption, notes, source and other details.


    Search Engines: Helpful Sites, Articles and Tips

    A definition from NetLingo.


    Software Features and Utilities

    • Close Popup 
      Don't you just hate those popup windows from web sites at GeoCities and Tripod that have ads in them? There is a program for closing popups, available for PC users (sorry to the Mac people! If I run across one for the Mac, I'll let you know). Version 4.0 is $20. Download the program, unzip it and place a shortcut to the program in your StartUp folder so that the program runs every time you boot up your computer. It works like a charm! When I ran it the first time it said I was missing a Visual Basic runtime file: MSVBVM50.DLL. I wrote to the author and he said to download this file: http://www.ryanware.com/msvbvm50.zip. Unzip it and place it in the Windows\System directory on your hard drive. I did and it worked great!.
    • eCleaner 
      A freeware application that helps you clean the ">" marks that accumulate after an e-mail message has been forwarded many times.
    • How to Turn OFF HTML or RTF in Various E-mail Programs 
      Created for the mailing list owners to aid in maintaining RootsWeb mailing lists, but helpful for everyone.
    • Show-URL Bookmark Utility 
      To organize, share, and print your bookmark files.
    • Tucows Downloads - Download freeware and shareware software 
      Find utilities for bookmarks, pop-up ads, e-mail features, web browsers and more.


    Spam

    A definition from NetLingo and one from the ILC Glossary of Internet Terms.


    Spyware and Adware

    A definition from NetLingo.



    LeafReport a Broken Link / Update a LinkLeaf




    Cyndi's List of Genealogy Sites on the Internet - Internet Stuff You Need to Know
    Webmaster & Owner: Cyndi Howells, Cyndi@CyndisList.com
    Updated Thursday, 19 November 2009, 10:00:23 PM PST

    [Copyright © 1996-2009 Cyndi Howells. All rights reserved.]   [Disclaimers]   [Privacy]   [FAQ]   [Support Us]
    This site may be freely linked to but not duplicated in any fashion without the author's consent.
    Background and title banner graphics property of Cyndi Howells.

    Cyndi's List of Genealogy Sites on the Internet


    Advertisements
    First Name:
    Last Name:

    Footnote.com

    Search Millions Of Original Documents

    First Name

    Last Name