Valerie, This is just my general observation and not "genealogical gospel" so please take it as such.
The genealogists that I know who are certified or accredited genealogists started doing there data entry on paper forms. The paper forms were limited in space, making abbreviations helpful to fit the locations and other data in the appropriate fields. When genealogy programs were first written for the computer, disk space was at a premium. As disk space became cheaper, many books on computer based genealogy encouraged to move away from any abbreviations and spell everything out. I know people who will type every last word of a birth, marriage, or death certificate into Legacy instead of scanning the certificate. This is another old habbit from the early days of genealogy. We are in the digital age. I digitally record and attach audio / video clips to my data. I scan everything I get my hands on from BMD certificates to wedding announcements to newspaper articles about relatives. Glen Ballard (Not a professional genealogist, but an addicted genealogist) -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Valerie Garton Sent: Monday, November 19, 2007 3:39 PM To: LegacyUserGroup@legacyfamilytree.com Subject: RE: [LegacyUG] Date Format Importance - which I think should be location importance I have been really surprised by the answers to this subject. During this thread there has been no mention of the Chapman's Codes. Where I come from in the Genealogical world, and I am an accredited genealogist, it is always recommended to use the Chapman's codes as a standard then everyone knows where you are talking about. I am unsure about the long and short location names but is it possible to put the Chapman's Code in the short field and the full name in the long field ? I am trying to be helpful here so be gentle if I have messed this up as apparently am not very good at expressing myself. Regards from Valerie in sunny Sydney. Researching: BEDDY, CULLODEN, DYAS and ROWAN in Belfast, Dublin, Wicklow & Wexford -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Kirsten Bowman Sent: Tuesday, 20 November 2007 4:56 AM To: LegacyUserGroup@legacyfamilytree.com Subject: RE: [LegacyUG] Date Format Importance Barbara: The recommended standard is to avoid use of abbreviations. This is especially important if your data will be read by anyone outside the US. AK and AR are particular problems even for those inside the US. I was very surprised, though, at a recent thread on a list for professional genealogists that indicated many of those folks consistently use state abbreviations in their databases--apparently for the primary purpose of getting the data to fit on charts. These people, however, are producing work for clients and were quick to say that they never use their software to produce "canned" reports such as the family books you can create with most software programs. The charts come from their databases but their reports are written from scratch with no abbreviations. I'm sure this won't answer your basic question but, as with many aspects of Legacy, it depends on what your intended use is. Kirsten -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of Barbara Ford Sent: Monday, November 19, 2007 7:09 AM To: LegacyUserGroup@legacyfamilytree.com Subject: RE: [LegacyUG] Date Format Importance Thanks to all for answers....this makes it clearer....this program is so great in that I can easily see where data is entered in the location field that doesn't belong there (in one case, "adopted by Michael Luther")--I understand that I will need to go to those individuals and clean that up, so as not to lose data (I'm catching on).... Had also seen the option for merging several locations, and just have one more question along that line--is there a standard preference on spelling out the name of a state as opposed to the standard abbreviation (understanding, I should be consistent)--in other words, if I have some AR, some Arkansas, some AR, USA, some Arkansas, USA, I could merge them all to one standard, and does it matter if I use the AR or the Arkansas? One last thing, I drowning in manual, user group, web site--would you mind to "coddle" me and give me a quick reference to the "archives" referred to here. (At least my emails should make everyone else feel like geniuses!!) Thanks so much, Barbara Legacy User Group guidelines: http://www.LegacyFamilyTree.com/Etiquette.asp Archived messages: http://www.mail-archive.com/legacyusergroup@legacyfamilytree.com/ Online technical support: http://www.LegacyFamilyTree.com/Help.asp To unsubscribe: http://www.LegacyFamilyTree.com/LegacyLists.asp Give Legacy as a Gift for 25% Off. Visit http://tinyurl.com/2b49et Legacy User Group guidelines: http://www.LegacyFamilyTree.com/Etiquette.asp Archived messages: http://www.mail-archive.com/legacyusergroup@legacyfamilytree.com/ Online technical support: http://www.LegacyFamilyTree.com/Help.asp To unsubscribe: http://www.LegacyFamilyTree.com/LegacyLists.asp Give Legacy as a Gift for 25% Off. Visit http://tinyurl.com/2b49et Legacy User Group guidelines: http://www.LegacyFamilyTree.com/Etiquette.asp Archived messages: http://www.mail-archive.com/legacyusergroup@legacyfamilytree.com/ Online technical support: http://www.LegacyFamilyTree.com/Help.asp To unsubscribe: http://www.LegacyFamilyTree.com/LegacyLists.asp
