There is little doubt that the Internet has thoroughly changed our world.

And, while it has changed the way we do genealogy, it has not lessened the importance of good sources and correct information. Even with all the material available online, you still may have to do some leg work and make sure your source is correct. One bad date, one bad surname, can blow months of research and send you back to square one.

I told you in my very first column that I was no expert, but I feel having Internet resources available to me has propelled me forward in my expertise much faster than if I had started "the old way." Hard knocks make fast learners and I have made my share of stupid mistakes. My purpose in doing these columns is not to dazzle you with what I know, but to share with you my triumphs and errors. I also would like to keep you from making those same mistakes.

This will be sort of a "quick start" Internet genealogy lesson. All you need to start is a computer with Internet access and hours to spend in front of it. (And I am not exaggerating!)

By far, the best genealogy site on the Internet is Rootsweb (www.rootsweb.com). Everything on this site is 100 percent free. There is no way I could begin to tell you everything it has to offer, but if you scroll down the home page, you will get an idea. The things at Rootsweb I have used most often are the "Search Everything" engine, the WorldConnect Project (family trees or pedigrees) and the e-mail lists.

After stumbling around the net, I found Rootsweb, signed up for their e-mail lists, and received more information in two days than I had in the last three months wandering around on other sites.

But be aware, as you search any family tree, that not all information is correct. Anyone can submit information, documented or not, to Rootsweb or any other site that maintains family trees. It's best to use these just as a guide. I have gotten excellent leads here.

As you scroll down the Rootsweb home page, you will see all sorts of areas to explore, including lessons for beginners. You definitely want to sign up for one of the Roots-L mailing lists. Lists are available for every county, every state and just about every surname imaginable. For instance, in the beginning, I signed up for the Cleburne, Randolph (both Alabama), Fowler, Blake, Dorman and Georgia (state) lists. I am now subscribed to about 15 lists.

Here's the way the lists work: after clicking on the Roots-L mailing lists link, you will receive directions on how to subscribe (sign up). When your sign up is successful, they will send you an e-mail welcoming you to the list, and telling you how to unsubscribe, should you ever wish to have your name removed. You will receive a mailbox full of mail every day from everyone posting messages and searching the same area of interest as you. Some may pertain to your family and some may not. Just delete what you can't use.

You also can send a message to the list yourself, asking if anyone is researching your family. Always give your family surname, any information you may already have, and for goodness sake, don't forget to give a time period and location. An example of a really stupid and useless message is: "Hi all ... my grandfather was Walter Brown. His wife's name was Matilda. They lived in Tennessee. Any connections out there?"

Yeah, right, buddy.

After receiving and reading a few messages, you'll get the hang of it. I was a bit timid at first, but I soon was posting messages and answering mail like a pro.

Another place to leave messages is maintained by Family TreeMaker and is called Genforum (genforum.genealogy.com/). There are "forums" or message centers for every county, every state and every surname imaginable. From the Genforum home page, type in your surname (or county or state) and you will be taken to the forum for that name. A list of the messages appears on the page and you can click and browse to your heart's content. I made my first connection in my Dorman family from a Genforum message. It absolutely thrilled me to death.

You can probably spend a couple of days exploring Rootsweb and Genforum alone. I still go there and browse through the messages.

There are several other good sites for researching family trees, such as Ancestry.com, FamilySearch.org, and Familytreemaker.com. I will save more detailed information on them for another column. What I'm trying to do is show you how to get your family message out there so you can start receiving information right away.

You also may want to start thinking about a computer program to keep your material organized. By far, the favorite for PCs (Windows) is Family TreeMaker by Broderbund (not available for the Mac) and Reunion, manufactured by Leister Productions, which is designed specifically for the Mac.

The Windows equivalent of Reunion is called Generations, made by Sierra. Generations users and Reunion users can exchange files without having to convert to a GEDCOM. Uh-oh ... threw you a curve, didn't I? Look on the Rootsweb page ... the answer is there.

Costs range up to $100 but I've seen a bare-bones version of FamilyTreeMaker on sale at Kroger for $24.99.

There is also a free genealogy program for Windows users offered by the LDS church called PAF (Personal Ancestral File). You can download it off the Web site (www.familysearch.org).

Whew! Hope I've boggled your brain with information. More next week.

Don't forget to e-mail or snail mail information on your south metro ancestors. Mail to: The Citizen, Drawer 1719, Fayetteville, GA 30214, or jkilgore@thecitizennews.com.

Until next week ... happy hunting!

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