The following is a Plus Edition article written by and copyright by Dick Eastman. 

Communicating in the cemeteries??? No, I am not referring to communications with or amongst the “long-term residents” of a cemetery. Instead, I'm writing about communications for visitors to a cemetery. Namely, the genealogists who visit a cemetery looking for information about deceased relatives.

When searching for tombstones of ancestors and other relatives, I generally try to visit a cemetery with a friend or two. We mentally divide the cemetery into two or more sections, and then each person searches through his or her section alone. The other friends are doing the same in a different section. I have done this many times and suspect that you have, too. Having two or more people involved increases the enjoyment of the search as well as the safety of everyone involved.

There are disadvantages, however. Upon discovering a particular tombstone, you may have to shout to the other person to make them aware of your discovery. In a large cemetery, the other person(s) may be some distance away, making shouting impractical.

The need for communications may vary. Of course, you want to notify your friends if you find a tombstone for one of their relatives. However, there are many more serious needs for instant communications. If someone steps into a gopher hole and twists an ankle, he or she may not be able to walk for help. In some areas of the country, snakebite is a serious concern. Perhaps you want to ask everyone else a critical question, such as: “Does anyone else feel like taking a break and getting a burger?” Finally, a simple request for bug repellent could be serious in some situations. Whatever the need, you should have instant communications capabilities when you are in a cemetery and are separated from your friends.

There is no perfect communications solution that I know of. However, with a bit of advance planning, you can select the solution that works best for you. In fact, there are at least three solutions. Two of them are closely related. I will call them Solution #1, Solution #2a, and Solution #2b.

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What do the following headlines from past issues of this newsletter have in common?

In the wake of a major incident that affected millions of Windows PCs, Microsoft is calling for significant changes to enhance the resilience of its operating system. John Cable, Microsoft's vice president of program management for Windows servicing and delivery, said there was a need for "end-to-end resilience" in a blog post, signaling a potential shift in Microsoft's approach to third-party access to the Windows kernel. 

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A project that was over two years in the making with the city of Jefferson has come to fruition about a data website.

City Administrator Scott Peterson says all gravesites at the city cemetery are now available online. He tells Raccoon Valley Radio people can search by name to see if someone is buried in the city cemetery, along with some information about that individual. Peterson explains why the city continued to pursue this endeavor.

“If you’re looking for a relative and you think that they may be buried in Jefferson, it’s pretty easy to just hop on the computer and do a search that way. Also, genealogy is of course a big pastime and folks could utilize this then for genealogy. But the biggest thing, I think, is you put the name in there and it’s going to quickly tell you where they’re buried. So you can physically go (and) walk right out to the tombstone.”       

Finance Officer Sarah Morlan says Cemetery Information Management Systems (CIMS) is the company that the city is working with for this service. She points out an added feature is the availability of additional burial sites for purchase in the cemetery because lots of people request to be buried near their family members. 

Morlan says they used a portion of their funding from Grow Greene County Gaming Corporation to initially purchase the service and pay an annual fee of $2,900. Click here to access the website.

Several European countries are betting on open-source software. In the United States, eh, not so much. In the latest news from across the Atlantic, Switzerland has taken a major step forward with its "Federal Law on the Use of Electronic Means for the Fulfillment of Government Tasks" (EMBAG). This groundbreaking legislation mandates using open-source software (OSS) in the public sector.

This new law requires all public bodies to disclose the source code of software developed by or for them unless third-party rights or security concerns prevent it. This "public money, public code" approach aims to enhance government operations' transparency, security, and efficiency.

Making this move wasn't easy. It began in 2011 when the Swiss Federal Supreme Court published its court application, Open Justitia, under an OSS license. The proprietary legal software company Weblaw wasn't happy about this. There were heated political and legal fights for more than a decade. Finally, the EMBAG was passed in 2023. Now, the law not only allows the release of OSS by the Swiss government or its contractors, but also requires the code to be released under an open-source license "unless the rights of third parties or security-related reasons would exclude or restrict this."

Professor Dr. Matthias Stürmer, head of the Institute for Public Sector Transformation at the Bern University of Applied Sciences, led the fight for this law. He hailed it as "a great opportunity for government, the IT industry, and society." Stürmer believes everyone will benefit from this regulation, as it reduces vendor lock-in for the public sector, allows companies to expand their digital business solutions, and potentially leads to reduced IT costs and improved services for taxpayers.

Several European countries are betting on open-source software. In the United States, eh, not so much. In the latest news from across the Atlantic, Switzerland has taken a major step forward with its "Federal Law on the Use of Electronic Means for the Fulfillment of Government Tasks" (EMBAG). This groundbreaking legislation mandates using open-source software (OSS) in the public sector.

This new law requires all public bodies to disclose the source code of software developed by or for them unless third-party rights or security concerns prevent it. This "public money, public code" approach aims to enhance government operations' transparency, security, and efficiency.

Making this move wasn't easy. It began in 2011 when the Swiss Federal Supreme Court published its court application, Open Justitia, under an OSS license. The proprietary legal software company Weblaw wasn't happy about this. There were heated political and legal fights for more than a decade. Finally, the EMBAG was passed in 2023. Now, the law not only allows the release of OSS by the Swiss government or its contractors, but also requires the code to be released under an open-source license "unless the rights of third parties or security-related reasons would exclude or restrict this."

Professor Dr. Matthias Stürmer, head of the Institute for Public Sector Transformation at the Bern University of Applied Sciences, led the fight for this law. He hailed it as "a great opportunity for government, the IT industry, and society." Stürmer believes everyone will benefit from this regulation, as it reduces vendor lock-in for the public sector, allows companies to expand their digital business solutions, and potentially leads to reduced IT costs and improved services for taxpayers.

Apple announced on Wednesday that Apple Maps is now available on the web via a public beta, which means you can now access the service directly from your browser. The launch puts Apple Maps in direct competition with Google Maps, which has long been available on the web.

Maps on the web is accessible in English and is compatible with Safari and Chrome on Mac and iPad, as well as Chrome and Edge on Windows PCs. Apple plans to bring support for additional languages, browsers and platforms in the future.

Apple Maps on the web works like it does on the mobile app. You can get driving and walking directions; order food from the Maps place card; browse curated guides and reviews; and more. Apple plans to bring additional functionality, like its 360-degree panoramic views “Look Around” feature, to the web version in the coming months.

Apple notes that developers can link out to Maps on the web, allowing their users to get driving directions, see detailed place information, and more.

The launch of the web version of Apple Maps comes 12 years after Apple launched the service on the iPhone. By expanding the availability of Apple Maps, the company is seeking to reach more users and take on Google Maps, which has largely been the go-to place for maps on the web.

There are new additions from Powys to Pembridge for you to explore. 

We've added 39,181 burial records this Findmypast Friday, updating two existing indexes - the National Burial Index for England & Wales and the Greater London Burial Index - with transcriptions from Herefordshire, London and the Welsh county of Powys. 

These essential new records make building the English and Welsh branches of your family tree easier than ever. We've also added over 360,000 pages to our newspaper collection.

National Burial Index For England & Wales - Herefordshire

We updated our National Burial Index for England & Wales records this week, adding 17,656 records from the English county of Herefordshire. 

Map of Herefordshire, c.1742.

These useful new transcriptions cover 230 years, so if your ancestor was buried in Herefordshire between 1582 and 1812, their name may just appear. 

National Burial Index For England & Wales - Powys

But that's not it for the National Burial Index for England & Wales. We also added 21,174 burial records from Powys in Wales. These new additions span from 1513 to 1851.

Greater London Burial Index

To round off our trio of burial record updates we have 351 additions to the Greater London Burial Index. These new records are from the Latymer Upper School in Hammersmith and cover 1914-1918 and 1939-1945. 

These new records may reveal key information about the deaths of ancestors who lived in the capital during either of the world wars. 

New pages from Shropshire to Sheffield

366,562 brand new pages were added to our newspaper collection this Findmypast Friday, bringing our total page count up to a mind-boggling 81 million. 

Two new titles - the Banbridge Leader and the Shropshire Star - joined the archive. We also updated 15 of our existing publications, with new pages from across England and Scotland. 

Banbridge Leader, 18 January 1995.

Here's everything we've added to our newspaper collection this Findmypast Friday. 

New titles:

• Banbridge Leader, 1995-1999, 2001
• Shropshire Star, 1993-1995, 1997-1998, 2002-2003

Updated titles:

• Aberdeen Evening Express, 2000-2003
• Aberdeen Press and Journal, 2000-2001
• Banbury Guardian, 2003
• Barnoldswick & Earby Times, 1983, 1990, 1998
• Bedfordshire Times and Independent, 1998, 2003
• Chorley Guardian, 1990, 1992
• Crawley and District Observer, 1993, 2002
• Derbyshire Times, 1990
• Hartlepool Northern Daily Mail, 1997-1998, 2002
• Hastings and St Leonards Observer, 1990
• Sheffield Independent, 1924-1925, 1932
• Shields Daily Gazette, 1998, 2001
• St. Andrews Citizen, 1997
• Sussex Express, 1990
• Worthing Herald, 1975-1977, 1996-1997, 2000-2001, 2003

Explore the past with Historical British Newspapers

Would you like to discover the rich tapestry of Britain's history through old newspapers? Whether you're a history lover or a genealogy enthusiast, our new Facebook community is a space where you can immerse yourself in the captivating world of Britain's printed history.

Join the group

Join us today to explore and celebrate the fascinating stories that have shaped our nation.

A former British soldier living in Germany has had his 50th birthday wish come true after being reunited with his biological mother in Ireland.

Mark Balls, now 53, was adopted as a baby and was “raised well” by his adoptive parents in London.

He was told by his adoptive father that he was adopted when he was 10-years-old – but, out of respect for the man and woman who raised him, he chose not to pursue his biological family until after his adoptive parents had died.

Mr Balls, who has six children and now lives in Paderborn in Germany, said that while he knew some information about his biological mother, he could only “get so far”.

In the run up to his 50th birthday, his daughters asked him what he would like.

He said: “I told them how far I got with my search and that maybe – because they’re a bit more media savvy than I am – I asked if they could find out more?”

They conducted their own research but were unsuccessful.

His daughter Amanda then decided to give him a gift of a MyHeritage DNA test which would ultimately set him on a path that would finally see him connect with his Irish family.

“The way I understood it is that if I do the DNA test and there’s other people with a close DNA match to me, they might have information on where my mother would be.”

The mystery was not immediately solved but the results provided Mr Balls with a path to follow.

“I got the results and there were a couple of close connections. So I sent a few emails to people who unfortunately couldn’t help me.

“Time went by and there was a new match, with someone who had done a test and had a 10% match with me.

“I sent her a message and told her I was looking for my birth mother and it turned out her dad’s name was Condon – the same surname as my birth mother’s maiden name – and that he had a sister called Phyllis.”

Through a complicated chain of messages involving his newly discovered cousin in Greece as well as other relatives in Australia and Reading, Mr Balls eventually received an email to say that Phyllis O’Neill was his mother – and that he had two blood brothers in Limerick, Ireland.

“I was in work when I checked my emails. I got all choked up.”

Mr Balls’ mother was 18 and living in Hampstead, London when she gave birth to him

You can read more in an article in the LimerickLive web site at: https://bit.ly/3LLXR8h.