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Archiver > APG > 1999-12 > 0944353553


From: "Helen S. Ullmann" <>
Subject: [APG] More on Broderbund CDs
Date: Sat, 04 Dec 1999 19:25:53 -0500


While we're griping about Broderbund's lack of clarity about their CDs I
thought I'd add my two cents.

First, what do they mean by "selected counties" on the census index CDs?
It makes me very uneasy.

Secondly, I noticed the new CD (is it new?) on Connecticut marriages, so
I thought it was time to get familiar with the Massachusetts marriage CD
I had already bought. It has the potential of being a very valuable
index, but I sure wish they said in their marketing just what records it
indexes.

It turns out it is all town vital records. But the reference they give
for each marriage is only an FHL film number. I wrote down about a
dozen numbers, went to familysearch.org and discovered that all but one
were published vital records. The other was original town records. It
would have been nice to have known that right off. After all, I live in
Mass. and can get most of the books in my local library. I wish the CD
would give a full citation, not just a film number.

On the other hand, if they truly do cover all the towns that aren't
published, they should say so. It would be a bonanza! (I need to go
back and look again to see what they've done for Hatfield and Hadley,
for example.)

Finally, I went to the introduction and read the whole thing. There is
a list of towns with the years covered, but it gives the impression that
all the marriages came directly from the original town records. Not
that it said that. It just gives that impression.

Post-finally, they spell Worcester as Worchester and Norfolk as
Norfork. How can we rely on the data therein? Well, they do tell us to
go look at the original. It's too bad that while they're doing it, they
don't make it a little easier.

Anyway, the point of this little tirade is that I think it would be a
good idea for us all to speak up, write letters and e-mail Broderbund
and the compilers. If we don't show that we care about accurate,
complete, truly helpful databases, we're not going to get them.

So now I'm wondering what's on that Connecticut CD. Is it just the
Barbour Collection? It's on microfilm already and most of it in the
IGI. Do they include the published towns which are not in the Barbour
Collection? That would be good. Wouldn't it be great if it included
Bailey's church marriages and some of the other unindexed church records
on microfilm! But I'll bet it doesn't.
--
Helen S. Ullmann, CG
Specializing in Southern New England and Norwegian genealogy research
713 Main St.
Acton, MA 01720-4802

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