Creating a Family History website.
Family history is a great hobby, but its drawback is that it generates loads of paper. Some collected as photocopies, some you purchase like birth marriage or death certificates, wills and newpaper cuttings. Then there are the many photographs that you are given or borrow to copy those belonging to relatives. Where can you keep backup copies of all ths material? Having a website for your data is a great way to show your relatives and attract other researchers.
Deciding what to include.
- Why are you providing a web presence and who is website meant to serve?
- Is the genealogy website for your relatives and friends or for other researchers? Is it to advise others how to set about Family history? Will it have stories and photographs?
- What constraints do you have, like the limits on time, money, or other resources.
You need a plan of action.
- Draw up a plan of what you would like. Make this simple to start with, but realise that most likely your website will grow.
- Write a list of needs. Write down all the things you would like to have on your website.. Take a sheet of paper and write more and more ideas, just as they come into your mind.
Things You'll Need.
- Website building software.
Currently I am using Microsoft's answer to Dreamweaver. This program is called Expression Web. You can also have this as an upgrade, if you own a retail version of EW3 you are entitled to a free upgrade to EW4. Buy it from Amazon, or from the Microsoft Online Store. Maybe you are entitled to student rates?
You can try Expression Web free for 60 days. You can also try a free download of MS SharePoint Designer. You will find it here. It is essentially Expression Web version1 You will also find on Cheryl Wise's pages downloads of free templates to use with this programme. You will also find excellent templates on Pat Geary's websites.
- Family tree
- There are many good Family tree products available. I use Family Tree Maker, but I also use PAF - Personal Ancestral File. Go to their site for a free download of this excellent program. There are many others available.
- Family pictures
- Collect your images together and scan them for use on the net.
- Website hosting
- Heart Internet in the UK is apparently good for both hosting and for domain names, as are 1and1.co.uk. I am currently using Bluehost.com to host my websites. They are based in Utah, USA, and they offer a great deal. You will find a Demo cPanel here.
- Domain name
I use 1&1 and have all my domain names and a few sites with them.
Hosting your website.
Some free hosts are fine if you can manage to put up with the adverts that pay for the free-dom!! If you need free hosting, then Heart Internet is apparently well worth a try.
For genealogy and like websites, Rootsweb offers unlimited free space and houses tens of thousands of websites for the genealogy community.
I had been a member of several of their genealogical mailing lists and so they were not new to me, but the knowledge that they offered free web space was great. I still use much space there, but by now I was hooked on web design and also needed some independence for my new and fascinating hobby. For this I chose my own ISP's web space for some time and then decided to try out the recommended 1and1.co.uk which I have found to be reliable and who have good support.
Using the web building software.
You will need an understanding of writing valid HTML and CSS. The web design program Expression Web is the successor to Frontpage and is a very good tool for helping you to learn both HTML and CSS. These will help you build quality standards compliant websites. See HTML Cheatsheetand How CSS Works.
Rootsweb also offer WorldConnect and I have my gedcom files on there, which are linked from my family history website.
My ISP is Plusnet which is a very good dependable company and is based, as is their Support line, in Sheffield UK. They are knowledgeable and very helpful, giving 24/7 support, and friends and I are very pleased that we went with them and have stuck with them. Long may they continue.
My online friend Martha Bagwell has a really good website which will help you with basic information on keeping your computer in good smooth working order.
Last but certainly not least is Pat Geary. Pat answered a query that I had on Freepage Help a Rootsweb Mailing List, and she has helped me to learn so much about web design. She is a special person and is still helping me and many others to build or amend code in their websites. Pat has several websites and has a great site for web creation help. Take a look at Genealogy Web Creations. Pat is also List Admin for Expression Web Mailing List a mailing list for users of Expression Web.
Pat persuaded me to take Cricket Walker's Free lessons which have been absolutely great. Here I learnt HTML from Sue Emerson and CSS and many other things for web creation.
Since then I have taken part in an online course with Cheryl Wise, and there I continued to learn from three tutors, Pat Geary, Tina Clarke and Cheryl Wise.
Here are some useful sites too:
- Microsoft Expression Web Beginners Tutorial
- Yahoo Groups - Expression Web
- Expression Web - a companion website for the Expression Web Mailing List
- Access FP
I do hope that you will have a go at building a website. It can be good fun and a very rewarding venture. I am happy to read of any queries that you may have and to help where I am able. Get in touch on the Contact Form on this site.