A quiet little genealogy Web site from France has suddenly entered the big time of Internet genealogy with its new free services, searches and software. The ultimate goal of GeneaNet at www.geneanet.org, formed in 1996, is "to build a database that indexes all the world's genealogical resources, whether Net-based or not and whether free or fee-paying."

Since it went "commercial" last year—accepting advertising to make the site free—GeneaNet has significantly beefed up its value to genealogists. For example, it recently joined the likes of Legacy and Personal Ancestral File by giving away a free, full-featured genealogy software program. With its GeneWeb, you can record data, add photos, create family trees, calculate relationships, manage dates, convert calendar dates and display statistical data. If you opt to use the online version, you can share your family tree with others and allow them to add their own data. (Or keep it to yourself, if you prefer.) You can also download GeneWeb for offline use. For details on this program, see geneanet.org/geneweb.php3.

GeneaNet is also offering a new way to tell the world about your genealogy news. GeneaNet News allows users to instantly post items about new Web sites, books, articles, events and more. Each item includes a headline and short blurb that appears on the main news page. If readers are interested, they can click to read more and even comment. Read all about it or post news at news.geneanet.org/en/.

Two other items of note: a searchable database of portraits (photographs, paintings and drawings) and the "Automatic Alarm," a weekly e-mail alerting you to recent site additions with your surnames.

—Susan Wenner