Don’t Tell Anyone- There Are Only 6 People In My Family File

Well, I did it- I started from scratch. I realized that I’m spending all my time fixing my Frankenstein family file. Those names aren’t going anywhere. I think I (and my ancestors) will be better served by moving forward with a new file, keeping the old one for reference. So my wife and children and I are in the file. And that’s it. Feels kind of… exciting. Because it means I actually have to start researching.

This file will be clean. Sources, actual documentation, etc. There will be no GEDCOM importing and merging. Once I establish that a person is real, I will type in the info.

I’m doing it all in Gramps, in case you’re wondering, which is a free and open source genealogy program. Open Source means that anyone can help work on it. If someone knows how to program, they can literally dig in and change how it works. I’ve been burned a few times just in the last week with software lock-in. All those GPS coordinates I put into Family Tree Maker? Still in there- but you can’t get them out.