By David A. Fryxell
Where to find genealogy software users' groups.
Want to further accelerate your
software skillbuilding? Join a users group. These specialized
genealogical societies endeavor to help members make the most of their
programs. Users groups typically hold meetings, sponsor seminars or
provide other forms of “technical support.” For example, the Silicon
Valley PAF Users Group (SVPAFUC) <
www.svpafug.org>,
based in San Jose, Calif., meets monthly, publishes a newsletter,
offers training sessions and posts free tutorials on its Web site. To
track down a users group in your area, query Google <
www.google.com> (or another general search engine) for your program's name plus users group.
If
you can't find a nearby club devoted to your program, you still can
benefit from joining a more-remote group. Even though you'd miss out on
the meetings, you'd get the other perks, including help from fellow
members. Another alternative: See whether your local genealogical
society has a general computer special-interest group. Or you can take
advantage of online grassroots software support — you'll find myriad
program-specific mailing lists and message boards, where family
historians share tips and answer one another's questions. Start with
the resources at these Web sites:
• Ancestry-Roots Web Message Boards