Distribution of family tree & history

[EricS]

Alongside growing my family tree I have been writing a history, concentrating it around the main characters in the immediate family. I would email the Word document containing the history together with a number of mini trees as the whole was too large to easily view. Anyway the file became too large so in the end I set up a website so everyone in the family could view the updates directly.

I've nearly finished the website
www
.tillersheppard.org
and I thought I would ask some of you to take a look at it please and tell me what you think in terms of layout, content, ease of use, etc. I appreciate any helpful hints you could share with me.

Many thanks,
Eric

[Zen Rabbit]

would do but it is asking for a login

[EricS]

Thanks for your interest ZR but my post was a few months ago when I was at the testing stage and I've since gone "live" with the rest of the family, hence the password now to restrict the site & contents to family only.

[Happy Jackie]

You could also try putting a folder in DROPBOX and inviting family to have a look. I have tried that option and like it. They can then copy the folder without taking it.

[mfwebb]

Hi Eric,

I would gladly have a look but, as someone else has pointed out, it needs a username and password to log in.

If you would like to compare with other sites, www.
mfwebb.co.uk/mysteriousoriginshere's mine

And here's mylookbackintime.com/Home.html John Gambrill's site.

[EricS]

You could also try putting a folder in DROPBOX and inviting family to have a look. I have tried that option and like it. They can then copy the folder without taking it.

I tried the DROPBOX facility and while it was great at sharing documents I wanted to do more. After some research I decided to set up my own website, buying my own domain name for a very modest sum (for 2 years - I figure I'll know by then whether I'll continue with the website or not!). I think it adds another dimension to type in www dot your family name - it makes the experience a little more personal.

What really prompted me to design my own website was iWeb, a wonderful piece of software included with my Apple laptop, which made it a breeze for setting up a website. I'm not a computer programmer and the output of the software is definitely greater than the sum of my computing ability!

So in essence - DROPBOX is very useful for file sharing but having your own website means you can do much, much more - including of course the facility to view and share documents, and photos.

[EricS]

Hi Eric,

I would gladly have a look but, as someone else has pointed out, it needs a username and password to log in.



Thanks Malcolm. I am delighted that there seems to be a degree of interest in looking at my website so I've removed the security features leaving free access for a while to give people another opportunity to take a look and hopefully give me some feedback / tips etc. I've taken a look at your website and it looks really great. I can see I have a lot of work to do!

[Richard1955]

I've had a look through.
Nicely laid out, easy to use, not too long winded.
Couldn't see any spelling mistaches but then I can't spell !
Good Job
Richard

[Zen Rabbit]

I agree a very nice clean site, not too fussy and loads easily. Good easy to follow layout too.

[mfwebb]

Hi Eric,

I've had a look and am impressed. Easy to navigate, well laid out and lots of useful information. I am particularly envious of your 66 page history. When I started 25 years ago my intention was to publish (privately) a book called Mysterious Origins. I have never set my history out in book form like you have so I decided last year to publish on the internet instead, still under the title Mysterious Origins. The book is still a dream and I may do it one day.

I have my own domain and hosted website as you've probably realised. My pages are done in Microsoft Publisher and uploaded via the programme's embedded web-publishing option, so I have total control over how it looks.

Like mine, your site will be a continual work-in-progress. Good luck with it. Great beginnings.

May I ask one question -- why have you decided to keep it closed? That's not a criticism -- I considered it for my own site; but I decided to make it publicly available in the hope that someone I don't yet know of may stumble upon it and knock a brick or two off my brickwalls.

[Richard1955]

Hi Malcolm/Eric
You may find yourself upsetting living family members if you publish private family history on the internet
for public viewing and to include anyone living will almost certainly do that.

[mfwebb]

Hi Malcolm/Eric
You may find yourself upsetting living family members if you publish private family history on the internet
for public viewing and to include anyone living will almost certainly do that.

I made a deliberate decision to exclude living people from my website. The trees and family group sheets on my site are the ancestors of my parents, both of whom are deceased. There are no descendants of my parents on my site.

I do now understand, however, why Eric has chosen to go down the private route if his site does include living people.

Many thanks for the explanation.

[EricS]

I made a deliberate decision to exclude living people from my website. The trees and family group sheets on my site are the ancestors of my parents, both of whom are deceased. There are no descendants of my parents on my site.

I do now understand, however, why Eric has chosen to go down the private route if his site does include living people.

Many thanks for the explanation.

Thanks for the feedback guys. The reason why the website was (and will be again) private is that I will be mentioning people who are still living. I won't be including their full details as even that would be distasteful to some people, but if the family know that only they will be able to access the website then perhaps it will be more appealing to them.

The point of the website is to provide a focal point for those in the family who wish to know more about their ancestors / cousins, to provide a facility to download photos & documents, and also to provide a communication facility (via the Blog).

[Ed McKie]

The point of the website is to provide a focal point for those in the family who wish to know more about their ancestors / cousins, to provide a facility to download photos & documents, and also to provide a communication facility (via the Blog).

This explains your reason for a private site Eric and properly so as you are including details of your living relatives. However it seems to me that you are perhaps wasting an opportunity of finding more !!
my own website started many years ago

www.
jeaned.net

has been the vehicle for me being contacted by cousins I didnt know that I had. they in turn provided data which moved my research on in ways I could not have done otherwise.

cheers..Ed