Genealogy Internet Research (1)
The best thing about the 'net is how much information you have access to. The worst thing about the 'net is how much information you have access to.
The problem is, you have everything at your fingertips but you need to know what you want and how best to use that information.
The Good Bits
The best attitude to take to the internet, is to see it as just another tool in your kit. You still need the library, the church records and everything else but the 'net gives you another avenue to explore. It also gives you access to information about the information; making it easier to find out just where the records you're looking for are held.
The biggest benefit of all, though, is communication; you can contact anyone who has an email address 24/7, regardless of where they are in the world. And there's more than just email. There are forums, mailing lists, newsgroups [usenet]. There's instant messaging and even video conferencing. The internet gives you access to people as well as information.
There's another benefit too : publication. Before the internet, getting your research published could be difficult and expensive at best and impossible at worst. Now, with some basic knowledge and some (usually free) web space, you can publish your family tree instantly.
The Bad Bits
That's not to say that the internet is a genealogist's utopia...far from it! First and foremost, you need to be very careful of the information you use in your own research. Much of the genealogical information published online is given without references so you can't verify the sources and, therefore, the validity of the reserach.
Plus, most of the information online has been inputted manually so be wary of typos and double check where necessary. Think how easy it is to enter a date incorrectly when you're typing a simple letter. Now consider what happens when you're entering a long list of names and dates.
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