| The genealogy bug can be traced back to the | | | | identify, but if the site you're working with has |
| 1977 movie "Roots", a powerful film that so | | | | this special software you may be in luck! By |
| impressed its viewers that they wanted to see | | | | downloading and annotating the photos of |
| just what their own family was made of. Back | | | | relatives you are familiar with, the software scans |
| then, those researchers were confined to libraries | | | | the unknown person and places them in the |
| and often had to travel long distances or use mail | | | | appropriate branch on the family tree. This is a |
| service to gather information. | | | | remarkably accurate program and if your site |
| Today it is much easier to make a family tree | | | | offers it, it can probably solve a decades old |
| because we can now do it all online! There are | | | | mystery in seconds! |
| many sites that offer the service at no charge, | | | | One very distinct advantage you'll enjoy when |
| even provided free software to download. | | | | you build family tree online is that everyone in |
| Genealogy software makes family trees easy to | | | | your family can see it! You also have the option |
| create; you simply enter the name of your | | | | of making it public or private password protected, |
| ancestor along with the birth and death dates and | | | | even on the sites that offer the service at no |
| they are placed on the tree in chronological order | | | | charge. If you'd like to download your work and |
| in the proper branch of the family. Some | | | | save it on a CD you can do that, too. |
| software allows you to include the place of birth | | | | Many genealogy sites include user forums where |
| and death but those extras are usually included on | | | | you can discuss your research with other people, |
| programs you buy. | | | | even your family, and learn new techniques and |
| Most genealogy software, even the freeware, is | | | | ideas. You may even be one of the many people |
| more than just a listing of names and dates. | | | | who connect with long-lost relatives through these |
| There are wizards to guide you through entering | | | | forums! |
| the information and most allow you to include | | | | When you build family tree online it's fun and |
| family photos so that you can put a face to a | | | | educational for children, too. Be sure to include |
| name. One of the most exciting developments in | | | | them when you are building your tree and see |
| creating an online family tree is face recognition | | | | how much they know about their immediate and |
| software that some sites are offering. Most | | | | extended family. They will be astounded at how |
| families have a few photographs that no one can | | | | large their family really is! |