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

The newest technology in computers these days is called “cloud computing.” However,  many experienced computer users do not yet understand the term. In fact, "the cloud" can be different things to different people. I thought I would write a three-part article: the first part explains what the cloud is, and the second part will describe using the cloud for genealogy purposes. The third part will address some of the frequently-asked questions (FAQs) concerning the use of cloud computing.

A few years ago, Ancestry.com had outages with its RootsWeb/USGenWeb/WorldConnect web pages. Some users have declared, “So much for the cloud and trusting others with your data.” However, that statement shows a lack of familiarity with cloud computing. While Ancestry uses industrial grade computers as servers to deliver information on the World Wide Web, they obviously are were using cloud computing methods in those days for the affected services that suffered weeks of outage.  

NOTE: Most cloud-based services provide 99.999% or better uptime. An article some time ago in Network World at http://goo.gl/YQjLYQ states that “Amazon’s Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2) recorded 2.41 hours of downtime across 20 outages in 2014, meaning it was up and running 99.9974% of the time.” The same article also states, “Perhaps even more eye-catching is the uptime of Google Cloud Platform’s storage service, which experienced 14 minutes of downtime in all of 2014, according to CloudHarmony. That’s good for a 99.9996 uptime percentage.” 

Such statistics are common for true cloud-based services running in multiple data centers. 

It is the intent of this article to reduce some of the confusion about the term “cloud computing.” 

Computers are marvelous things. We can sit at home with a desktop computer or use a laptop when traveling or even use a handheld computer while sitting in a city park or while riding a commuter train. We can watch YouTube videos, read and write email, check the latest news and weather reports, research a family tree, plot the best travel route to Poughkeepsie, or perform any of dozens of other tasks, regardless of our location. We can do this because we are connected to a monstrous collection of computers and computer accessories that include routers, switches, hubs, and miles and miles of cabling. 

In the traditional world of desktop applications, data is usually stored on a computer’s hard drive. In “the old days” of a few years ago, I could go on vacation and leave my computer at home but then could not access my email, photos, or any of my data. In the new world of cloud services, my email and all my data are safely and securely stored online, that is, in the cloud. I can get to it by using a web browser from any computer that’s connected to the Internet. Even better, that information is available to me essentially all the time. 

In many cases, I can even get to it from a so-called "smartphone," that is, a cellphone with a built-in computer that usually runs on an Android or Apple operating system.

The hardware that lets us compute anyplace on any device is invisible to us, and most of us do not understand how it all works. However, our computers, even our tiny cell phone "smartphones," are actually plugged into the collective power of thousands of computers that serve all this information to us from far-away computer systems distributed around the world. It’s almost like having a massive supercomputer at your beck and call, thanks to the Internet.

There may be hundreds of thousands of hardware boxes involved along with millions of services available on the Internet. This collection of hardware, software, and data is collectively called "the cloud." 

In fact, some people think that any web server that is available on the World Wide Web is part of “the cloud.” However, that impression is incorrect; a web server can be any computer, large or small, that serves up data to the web where people can see it. For instance, some people believe that the web server that is displaying this page to you from http://www.eogn.com/ is a single web server installed in one data center. If that web server stops working at some point, the web page you are reading right now will not be available to you.

Again, that is incorrect. The cloud changed all that.

Definitions are not rigidly defined. The term “cloud” can be taken to mean many different things. However, most data processing professionals will tell you that a single web server installed in a single data center does not qualify as a cloud-based service.

The remainder of this article is reserved for Plus Edition subscribers only. If you have a Plus Edition subscription, you may read the full article at: https://eogn.com/(*)-Plus-Edition-News-Articles/13225059

If you are not yet a Plus Edition subscriber, you can learn more about such subscriptions and even upgrade to a Plus Edition subscription immediately at https://eogn.com/page-18077. 

• New online database provides information about hundreds of Aboriginal children placed in Perth institutions from 1868 to 1920 
• Database launched during NAIDOC Week 
• Aboriginal History WA is dedicated to helping families trace their ancestral histories   

A free online resource will help Aboriginal families establish links to children sent to Perth orphanages and missions from 1868 to 1920. 

The Perth and Swan Orphanages and Mission Index is a searchable database holding information on children admitted to four institutions located in Perth and the Swan Valley.

Over the course of almost 50 years, about 300 children were removed from their families and placed within these institutions.

In Western Australia the practice of forced separation of Aboriginal children from their families began in the 1830s and was only stopped in the 1970s. 

Over this period, a framework of laws, practices and policies existed that saw as many as a third of Aboriginal children removed from their families – some were as young as two years old. These practices resulted in what is now known as the Stolen Generations. 

The Perth and Swan Orphanages and Mission Index is an initiative of the Department of Local Government Sport and Cultural Industries' (DLGSC) Aboriginal History WA unit (AHWA).

It has been painstakingly compiled from a range of historical sources including admission registers, microfilms, historical departmental files, death and burial records, and newspapers. It adds significantly to those records already made available by AHWA.

AHWA is dedicated to helping Aboriginal Western Australians trace their family histories through the provision of information and production of comprehensive genealogies. 

For more information, and to access the Perth and Swan Orphanages Mission Index, visit https://www.dlgsc.wa.gov.au/aboriginal-culture/reconciliation-and-history-projects/perth-and-swan-orphanages-and-missions-name-index

I have written many times about the need for genealogists (and others) to make frequent backups. Now Oluwademilade Afolabi has published an article in the MakeUseOf web site that explains the differences of different kinds of backups.

If you are a bit confused about the different kinds of backups and the pros and cons of each, you might read the article at: https://www.makeuseof.com/ways-to-back-up-data/.

Tilda Wilson apparently interviewed Colleen Shogan, the (new) Archivist of the United States and published bits and pieces of the interview in thye NPR News web site. Here's a sample:

Shogan is the first woman ever appointed to be National Archivist. Her job is to make sure that the nation's history — through its documents — is preserved. The archives contain 13.5 billion records. Everything from the Constitution to the 19th Amendment to the papers your grandfather might have submitted to join the U.S. Army.

Shogan grew up in a working class neighborhood just outside Pittsburgh. She was a first generation college student. She went on to be a professor, then a Senate staffer, then deputy director of the Congressional Research Service. In her spare time, she devoured mystery novels.

"They're puzzles, and I like to solve puzzles," Shogan says. Not only solve them, but write them. Since 2015, Shogan has published eight murder mystery novels as part of her Washington Whodunit series. They're all set in places she's worked, with titles such as Larceny in the Library, Homicide in the House, and Stabbing in the Senate.

"She creates a world in each of her books," Shogan's editor, Jennifer McCord told NPR. McCord says the vivid settings drew her into Shogan's writing in the first place.

McCord won't be working with Shogan for a while, however. Shogan is holding off on writing murder novels while she's working as National Archivist. Perhaps the role is controversial enough without her killing off senators.

The functions of the National Archives received nationwide attention last fall. Just three days after Shogan was officially nominated, the FBI raided former President Trump's home in search of documents that should have been safely archived at the conclusion of his presidency.

The result was intense scrutiny during both Shogan's nomination hearings in November of 2022 and February of this year, though she couldn't be briefed on the details of the document cases until after she was confirmed in May.

You can read more at: https://www.mainepublic.org/npr-news/npr-news/2023-07-04/for-the-record-we-visit-colleen-shogan-the-first-woman-appointed-u-s-archivist.

Many shows are still awaiting their fates, and some have been waiting longer than others. One major NBC series, in particular, is still waiting for any news, despite being on the air for over 10 seasons. 

Genealogy docuseries Who Do You Think You Are? returned to NBC in the summer of 2022 for Season 11 after airing on TLC for Seasons 4-10. TVLine reports that the show is one that "cycles on and off," meaning that new episodes could still be made, but there would be big breaks in between seasons. As of May 2023, no new episodes were being made, and there is no indication that a new season is in the works.

In 2026, just three years from now, we will commemorate the United States Semiquincentennial and the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.

The Library of Congress, along with other Federal agencies, will be taking part in this commemoration. We’ll be sharing our great collections and insights from our incredible staff, and inviting you to rediscover the Library of Congress for yourself.

In the lead-up to this milestone, the America250 Commission has launched America’s Invitation, a nationwide campaign for all Americans to share stories and hopes and dreams for our future.

America’s Invitation is an opportunity for Americans across the country, from every background, to take part in reflecting on our past and looking to the future by sharing their stories, and the things they love about America, as we continue to strive for “a more perfect union.”

Taking part in America’s Invitation is easy — visit stories.america250.org to share photos, videos, artwork, essays, songs, poems, or anything else that highlights what America means to you and how you hope to commemorate this milestone. This content may be showcased by America250 on its website, in videos, on social media, and more. Together, these contributions will highlight what makes America unique and ensure we are building a commemoration that includes all of us.

For some inspiration, you might enjoy this “From the Vaults” episode about the Dunlap Broadside, the first printing of the Declaration of Independence that was printed throughout the night of July 4, 1776. This is how the text of the Declaration was first sent out into the world:

And if you’re looking for more about the history of the Declaration of independence, we have you covered.

(You can watch the video at: https://www.loc.gov/item/webcast-10171/?&embed=resources)

Over the next three years, America250 will continue to host commemorative events across the country. To learn more, visit America250.org, and follow the Commission on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

There is a great human interest story in the MyHeritage Blog that you might find interesting:

When Estela Ramos was 14 years old, she studied blood types in biology class, and realized something was amiss. She knew that her blood type was O, her mother’s was A, and her father’s was AB… and realized that, given the basic principles of heredity and the fact that blood type O is an expression of a dominant gene, it was impossible for the child of two people with the recessive A and AB blood type genes to have type O blood.

Maria Estela Ramos, Argentina

There was only one explanation: the parents who raised her were not her biological parents.

Estela questioned her parents, but didn’t get any concrete answers from them. She let it go, but couldn’t shake the sense of unease that she didn’t really know who she was.

When she mentioned the matter to her husband, he asked her a question that stopped her in her tracks:

“How can you live with a doubt like this?”

“When I became a mother, I asked again about my adoption,” Estela says. Her mother was not forthcoming, but as fate would have it, Estela overheard a comment a visitor made to her mother that confirmed what she already knew: Estela was not the biological daughter of the woman who raised her. “She looked at me and said, ‘This must be the girl my mother told me you adopted!'” says Estela.

“From that moment forward, my search didn’t stop,” says Estela. “I obtained my birth certificate and I researched every name and date so I could understand my story. This was not easy work, because though the indications were clear, the truth is a treasure you must pursue until you reach it. They were all half-truths, and that’s where the emotions work against you. Not only were we challenged by the environment, our society, our family, but also, we truth-seekers must really work to believe that we deserve to know the truth. We must know our origins.”

Estela tries DNA testing

You can read the full story at: https://blog.myheritage.com/2023/07/after-28-years-of-searching-i-solved-a-lifelong-mystery-and-found-my-brother-with-myheritage-dna/.

• Who: Plaintiff Ethan Shebesh filed a class action lawsuit against Ancestry.com and Geneanet SA.
• Why: Ancestry.com allegedly uses consumers’ identifying information for commercial purposes without their consent in violation of Illinois law.
• Where: The Ancestry.com class action lawsuit was filed in Illinois federal court.

An Ancestry.com class action lawsuit alleges the company uses consumers’ identifying information for commercial purposes without their consent in violation of the Illinois Right to Publicity Act (IRPA).

Plaintiff Ethan Shebesh filed the Ancestry.com class action lawsuit June 29 against Ancestry.com and Geneanet SA, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ancestry.com.

The defendants own and operate www.geneanet.org, a genealogy website that allows users to share their genealogical information and connect with relatives and other Geneanet members.

“As with other genealogy websites, Geneanet allows its users to upload family history to build out an online family tree,” the Ancestry.com class action lawsuit explains. “The information uploaded may include relatives’ names, as well as documents, photographs, historical documents, news articles, and the like.”

Plaintiff says his full name appeared on Ancestry.com website to promote paid premium Geneanet memberships

Shebesh says he is one of 8 billion individuals identified on the Geneanet website. When searching for his last name, he discovered his full name and his spouse’s full name listed in the “free preview” search results.

When he clicked on his name on the free preview page, he was directed to a “Profile” page that included his full name, as well as the names of his parents, spouse, and half-siblings. The page also featured an orange “Become Premium” button urging users to sign up for a paid membership.

You can read more about this story in an article by Anne Bucher published in the TopClassActions web site at: https://topclassactions.com/lawsuit-settlements/privacy/ancestry-com-class-action-claims-website-shows-identifying-info-during-advertising-memberships/.

The following announcement is from the (U.S.) National Archives and Records Administration News:

By Angela Tudico | National Archives News

WASHINGTON, June 30, 2023 — Dr. Randa Tawil, one of two 2022 Cokie Roberts Women’s History Fellows, spent November 2022 here at the National Archives, researching Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) case files to explore the correlation between pregnancy and deportation for early 20th-century migrants to the United States.

Enlarge

2022 Cokie Roberts Women's History Fellow Randa Tawil.

To answer questions about mobility, gender, sexuality, immigration, and hardening border restrictions in the early 1900s, Tawil looked at how INS officials worked with doctors to enforce public charge laws against single pregnant women months after their arrival to the United States.

“I had never heard of women being deported so late in their pregnancy and for this reason,” Tawil explained. “These women were not visibly pregnant when they arrived in the U.S. and subsequently sought medical care in hospitals for their pregnancies, and the government used that moment, simultaneously with the latest advances in the field of obstetrics, to decide when a woman became pregnant in order to enforce immigration restrictions. That was an interesting timeline that I wanted to delve into.”

Her findings will appear in the forthcoming chapter, “Time Difference: Pregnancy and Deportability in Early 20th Century United States,” that will be published in late 2024 in the anthology, “The Hidden Histories of Unauthorized European Immigration in the United States,” edited by Deborah Kang and Danielle Battisti. 

Tawil was already familiar with the National Archives and the INS case files prior to this project and was researching her book in progress, “Race in Transit: Mobilities Between Greater Syria and North America,” when she found a case file for a single pregnant European woman that did not fit with her research on Syrian migration, but which she said she felt compelled to pursue.

Tawil credits the fellowship for affording her the time and a community of support required to reveal the experiences of these female migrants, albeit filtered through the official government reporting available in the files.

Enlarge

Report to the United States Commissioner of Immigration, 1907. National Archives, Records of the Immigration and Naturalization Service. Photo courtesy of Randa Tawil.

“These are government records so they appear complete and correct, but they don’t tell the full story of these women, and we’re never going to know that story fully–that’s history,” Tawil said. “But some recovery and meditation on these glimpses into the past and making these marginalized people actually be the agents of history is something that’s important.”

Tawil is an assistant professor of Women and Gender Studies at Texas Christian University. She earned her doctorate from Yale University and her bachelor’s degree from Wesleyan University, both in American Studies.

She is conducting her research as a 2022 recipient of the Cokie Roberts Women’s History Fellowship. Supported by the National Archives Foundation, the fellowships are awarded to early to mid-career historians, journalists, authors, or graduate students who perform and publish new research to elevate women’s history using records held by the National Archives.  

“This fellowship is a testament to Cokie Roberts’ prescience,” Tawil noted. “This history is important, and it might take more support to write it. But ultimately it’s producing some of the most interesting work out there.”

The fellowship launched in 2019 to honor noted author and journalist Cokie Roberts, who spent her career shining light on the stories of many women who had an impact on U.S. history.

“Cokie was a leader on our board and a lifelong advocate for the Archives,” said Jim Blanchard, President and Chair of the National Archives Foundation Board of Directors and former Michigan governor. “These fellowships are a wonderful tribute to her ongoing inspiration to the field of women’s history.”

The following announcement was written by the Augusta (Georgia) Genealogical Society (Reminder: You can attend VIRTUAL presentations from anywhere in the world):

July 2023 Virtual Genealogical Program

"Using Revolutionary War Records"

When:  Saturday, July 22, 2023

Time:  11:00 am - 12:00 pm  EST

Where: Online

Price:  FREE to AGS members and $10 for nonmembers

Click here to register:  https://www.augustagensociety.org/

The registration deadline is June 20, 2023

Limited seating to view the virtual presentation will be offered at the Adamson Library. To reserve a seat, please call (706) 722-4073.

Presenting

Melanie McComb, Genealogist

New England Historic Genealogical Society

Understand how to locate and best utilize Revolutionary War muster rolls and service records for your ancestor. An overview of using local, state, and federal sources to determine whether your ancestor served during the war will be reviewed.

Melanie McComb, a Genealogist, assists library visitors in Boston at the NEHGS, both on-site and online, with their family history research. She is an international lecturer who teaches a variety of topics. Melanie holds a B.S. degree from the State University of New York at Oswego. She previously served as the social media coordinator for the NextGen Genealogy Network, a non-profit that creates a community for younger genealogists, where she managed the Facebook and Twitter accounts.

The program flyer is available at https://filedn.com/lwhnSvLzTkI41rItzEOPak0/graphics/AGS%20%20Program%20July%2022%202023%20Revolutionary%20Records.jpg.

JOIN AGS NOW and enjoy the benefits of several programs, which will be free to members in 2023.

The Augusta Genealogical Society is a non-profit organization founded in Augusta, Georgia , in September 1979.