David E. Rencher encouraged participants at BYU's Conference on Family History and Genealogy to adopt new technology, such as FamilySearch's new online applications. He knows it is a hard sell for some.

"I clearly remember the day when we took the old paper copy of the card catalog out of the Family History Library," Rencher, FamilySearch's Chief Genealogical Officer said. "We nearly had a riot on our hands when we began taking those drawers away."

The same thing happened 10 years later when microfiche were replaced by computer indexes. "Change moves on," Rencher said.



Change is to be expected, he explained, as products and services go through a natural life cycle. Several popular family history products and services are at the end of their usefulness as technology provides better solutions.

One of the most popular products being phased out is Personal Ancestral File (PAF), a free family history program that was introduced in 1997. FamilySearch is moving to an Internet-based system, usually referred to as the New FamilySearch. People will still be able to use PAF on their computer and export their data to the New FamilySearch. An additional software program will enable PAF users to import information from the New FamilySearch back to PAF.

Other commercial genealogy software programs will also be able to work with the new system. Rencher likes the idea of using an offline program with the new online system. "You can maintain a working copy of your (family history) file on your own hard drive. For many of us, that is a real comfort zone. That's where I'm at. I like to know that that data is right here on this baby," Rencher said pointing to his laptop computer.

Other products and services being phased out are census records on compact discs, the International Genealogical Index (IGI) and Pedigree Resource File and compact discs of the Family History Library Catalog. FamilySearch is eliminating its paper products in favor of instantly updatable online guides.

Microfilm technology is also nearing obsolescence as fewer manufacturers are producing the necessary film to make copies. "We don't really have a choice," Rencher said. "We are not going to have microfilm to distribute to Family History Centers in the foreseeable future. It's going to come to an end, or it's going to become so pricey that we will not be able to afford it."

FamilySearch Indexing, online at indexing.familysearch.org, is rapidly replacing an old method of indexing called the Universal Data Entry (UDE) tool.

For members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the New Family Search will replace the older TempleReady system for submitting names of ancestors for proxy ordinances in LDS Temples, such as baptism for the dead. The new system will help eliminate duplications and streamline the process.

But not everything is being updated.

FamilySearch couldn't get permission from The Scottish Record Office to put Church of Scotland parish records onto the FamilySearch.org Web site. Those records will be available for a fee on another Web site. If you want to look at these records for free, you still have to go look at the old DOS-based computer version at family history centers and the Family History Library. "If you think you haven't seen a miracle recently," Rencher said, "look at how long the (LDS) church has made DOS work."

Even in the fast changing world of technology, some things just refuse to change.

E-mail: mdegroote@desnews.com