To have full control over our data, we build and maintain this master family tree in a genealogy database software program on our own computer. That information is so important-it tells us what we know so far, how we know it, where to find backup documentation, and what we’re currently working on. The key itself isn’t necessarily special or fancy, but it has a specific purpose that gives the owner full access and control over their property.Ī master family tree is the master key to our genealogical property: our research, conclusions (in the form of a family tree), and the sources that we’ve cited, such as digital records, photos, scans, screencaptures, paper documents, books, and home movies. For example, the owner of a hotel has a master key that can unlock all of the guest room doors. In the world of security-both physical and digital-a “master key” is a key that can unlock more than one lock. Here’s why and how you should maintain a primary family tree on your own device, rather than on another service. A master family tree, built on your own computer, is the key to securing your family history for now and generations to come. Instead, we need to keep the heart of our genealogy at home. We also don’t have unlimited access to our data or attached documents-if our paid subscription ends, so does our ability to view and download documents and photos. If the service closes, restructures, or is sold to a new owner, our data goes with them, not necessarily with us. Cloud software offers another storage alternative, but this, too, has its drawbacks.įor one thing, we don’t control our data when we have another site or platform host our family tree. Though seemingly convenient, it’s not necessarily in our best interest or the best interest of our family history to do so. The big genealogy companies make it extremely easy to build a family tree on their websites and add the data and digital documents we find. This searching can generate a wide variety of data and documents-so much, in fact, that managing, storing, and retaining all that data can become our biggest challenge. Our quests take us to distant archives and the far reaches of the internet.
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