Making Connections: Inferior Film and Praise for Family Tree Magazine

Swooning over June

How ever do you do it? Three issues down, and three absolute winners — the quality and content of the magazine have just gotten better and better!

Really enjoyed your Living History feature. I copied the pages (never would defile the magazine with scissors!!) and put the bits into my travel file. And your “Time Travel” article (June) was right on — two friends and I are taking a 5,000-mile round-trip driving trip this summer (Spokane, Wash., to Charleston, SC) and your good suggestions came right in time.

Sharon Carmack’s article on diaries was exceptional. So many articles of this type that I’ve read in the past only stress how fun/interesting, etc. old diaries are, but with this article she tells us how to possibly find one penned by our ancestor.

My students (in genealogy classes) are always asking my opinion of the different genealogy programs. Not using them all, how would I know? Now I’ll know, thanks to your article, “Getting with the Program.”

I could go on and on, for every single article really hit the mark with me. I loudly recommend your magazine to any and all working and non-working family historians!

DONNA POTTER PHILLIPS

Spokane, Wash.

Photo no-no?

I am our family archivist and an avid scrap-booker. I enjoy your new magazine; however, I was very disappointed to see your recommendation (Preserving Memories, June) that readers use film from these mail order/online companies offering free trial rolls. If the objective is to provide a record for future generations, why would one wish to use bargain film stock? The preservation of negatives and photos beyond two to three generations is difficult. If inferior products are used, it may be impossible.

JENNIFER SOBOLEWSKI

via e-mail

Really clicking

As a new reader, I’d like to thank you for a great publication. Finding good genealogical publications is difficult these days. I’m an intermediate-level researcher who is continuing over 30 years of research on the Harnett family in America. When I decided to create a Web site featuring my family’s genealogical information <freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~harnett/>, I considered how many commercial sites and resources there are that can’t deliver what they promise. I’ve long been a proponent for the free exchange of genealogical information. I strived to make my Web site both user-friendly and free, providing visitors with comprehensive information about the family. Aside from the knowledge that information is being passed along to those who can use it, the only gratification to putting so much time and energy into a Web site is to receive an award (or “e-award,” if you will). My suggestion is for Family Tree Magazine to feature a great family history Web site every month or two, and give it an “e-award.”

D.T. HARNETT

via e-mail

Editor’s note: Thanks for the suggestion — we’ll start scouting for award-worthy family sites. (We already honor a general-interest Site of the Day at <www.familytreemagazine. com>.) And don’t miss our guide to building your own family history Web site, page 26.

Just plane great

My wife picked up a copy of your magazine at the airport as we were leaving to come home from visiting our daughter. I have to say I read it from cover to cover on the plane. It’s the best magazine I have found that can help a person doing genealogy. The Internet is so big and you can’t begin to know where to go for information. Thanks for helping people like us who are trying to find our roots.

From the October 2000 issue of Family Tree Magazine