No News Is Good News!

After being off for a while for a successful back surgery, I am back at the computer doing what I do. I have responded to a few inquiries the last few days and exchanged some family information. I will be in the Family History Library in Salt Lake City soon to do some research on all family lines. As I have said before, the easy work is done, we are now in the difficult stage.

At some point in time, perhaps one must realize that needed documentation does not exist and it is necessary to move on. The Ervin line may be a classic case as information prior to 1780 often does not exist.

Minor Update

Today I updated the files with some graphic changes that do not effect the overall content. There are no changes to the family history links, but we are working on an update. I had hoped to get to the Family History Library in Salt Lake City early this year, but those plans are on hold for now.

As usual, if there are any errors, I will appreciate an email so corrections can be made.

Where Have I Been?

No post for a while. Back to the Isaac Ervin connection. This line has been a road block for me and my frustration shows when I realize that I may never prove any connection. Recent DNA has been of some help eliminating a few possible family connections.
Have been reading Pennsylvania and Virginia history prior to 1800 to understand the development of Western Pennsylvania from the Revolution forward. I am amazed at the wealth of books available from Google Book search. Old versions of books written in the late 1800's through the early 1900's. All full editions in Adobe pdf format. You can even search the book for names and places of interest to you. These have been a priceless addition to my research.
New Macintosh Computer still performing as advertised. Fast and stable. Now have a 750GB external drive for automatic backup using Apple Time Machine. Again, a flawless addition to my computer setup. I cannot praise Apple enough for the products they design and produce for the average user.

Back soon

Whats Been Happening?

The new Macintosh computer continues to work as expected. Updates and programs install with no problems.

I have been concentrating on research related to the ERVIN line, as that is where the current problems remain. Constantly changing Pennsylvania and Virginia boundaries before and after 1790 has led to some confusion. For information on boundary changes, consult any reference to the Mason-Dixon line. Read about the Whiskey Rebellion which relates to our research area in Pennsylvania. Also many early census returns were lost which means we must rely on historical books, deeds, and court records.

The search goes on!

It Just Works!

After a week of heavy use, I thought I would report on software performance. My main programs for genealogy work are Apple Safari, Leister Reunion, Adobe Photoshop & Lightroom and Microsoft Office. All have the latest updates to help insure a secure worksite.

So far all have worked flawlessly as expected. Yes, the software is expensive, but all have performed as advertised. Perhaps my MacPro is a bit excessive, but when the programs run as well as they do, the cost is justified for me. I suppose a MacBook Pro would work just as well. I will pass along a bit of advice learned over time. Add all the memory you can afford. I currently run 6GB and that is more than adequate. My last post shows where I purchase memory at the best price.

As you can deduct, I am a happy customer of Apple products. Last week I had the opportunity to use a Dell laptop with Vista installed. It was cumbersome, clunky and seemed like a lot of eye candy. Not for me, but perhaps I carry my bias on my shoulder.

MacPro Up & Humming

The new MacPro  arrived (65 lbs!) and I wasted no time installing my essential programs. I enhanced the factory 2GB of ram to 6GB using 4GB of memory sticks from OtherWorldComputing. Easy to install and they work flawlessly. I also installed a 500GB internal hard drive to match the one already in residence. Again another easy install and flawless operation. I am amazed at the quietness of this monster. One does not know it is even there. 

Today I spent sorting through many hundred photos using Adobe Lightroom. As I sorted, I deleted some, cataloged others, and spent some time just remembering the places we have been and the people we have met along the way. Life is cool if you live it!
I now use TimeMachine to make hourly backups. I was leery at first, but it works as advertised. I have an external 750GB hard drive solely used to maintain backups.
Well, back to work for now. I will later lift a glass of fine Merlot from Trader Joe's to celebrate the successful installation.

Computer Upgrade

After much musing, I decided to upgrade my G5 to one of the new MacPro Intel computers. Tuesday it will arrive, and then I have the task of installing the software I most often use. I have done this before, so not a daunting task. I will report on the progress next week.