Hello to the lists. This message, following on an earlier post, may interest some people. (If you already know all this terminology, just delete.) Happy new year to all. Cheers, Dolly in Maryland ~~~~~~~~~~ Personal Ancestral File is software; Ancestral File is a database. The names are so similar it can be confusing. PERSONAL ANCESTRAL FILE (PAF) is *software* distributed and supported by the Mormon Church's Genealogical Department. (No data in it until you type in your own data.) Free download at <www.familysearch.org>, or buy the CD for ($5? $10?) Ver. 4.xxx is the standard now; Ver. 5.x was recently released, but many people are reporting "bugs" and advising others to wait a while. ANCESTRAL FILE (AF) is a *database* compiled and supported by the Mormon Church's Genealogical Department. More than 20 million people in it the last I remember; there are probably more now. Almost all the data is patron-submitted, that is, submitted by individuals. Some were more careful about the *accuracy* of their information than others! Contact information on many submitters is part of the program. An AFN (Ancestral File number) is randomly computer-assigned to every entry. If someone refers to Joe Doakes by an AFN, it just means that Great-uncle Joe is included in the AF -- but the information has not been verified by the Genealogical Department. You cannot buy the AF database to use at home, but it is available (free) on the <www.familysearch.org> website, and every Family History Center has the information on CDs. ~~~~~~~~