The following message is from Cyndi Howell but this needs to be a reminder to us all...............Happy Hunting! Hello all - Happy new year! Each January we see a huge influx of newbies joining us online because Santa was generous and left a sparkling new computer under the tree. There are also many after-holidays sales which offer people the opportunity to purchase a snazzy new computer or modem. Many people get online for the first time and enthusiastically don their cyber-bikinis, hitting the surf with gusto. They are excited to be here and they are (much as we "oldbies" were) rightfully overwhelmed by all that there is to see and do. The language here is foreign to them. The technology is newer, fancier and zippier than they may have used in the past. And the way that we all participate in our giant, online genealogical society, while being very similar to offline groups, is still a bit different than they may be prepared for. In other words, it is a brave new world to them. I would like to put out a call to each of you to show these newbies that we are a friendly, welcoming and helpful group of online genealogists. To do so we all need to pitch in and show patience, understanding and kindness. We also need to put on our teaching caps and be prepared to show them the ropes. 1. Don't make assumptions. 2. Explain things in detail, include URLs and complete instructions. 3. Verify details and addresses before you send them to people. 4. Offer to help people privately via e-mail, off of the mailing lists. 5. Be prepared to explain things more than once, in more than one way. 6. Keep in mind that we were all new at one time. 7. Keep in mind that we all learn something new every day. 8. Reach out to your fellow researchers and set a good example. There are several places online to which you can point newbies in order to help them learn about this new research venue. I have tried to make these easy to locate by setting up links on my site: Internet Stuff You Need To Know http://www.CyndisList.com/internet.htm Also be sure to point them to these basic starting places online: Cyndi's List of Genealogy Sites on the Internet http://www.CyndisList.com Your genealogical research portal onto the Internet RootsWeb http://www.RootsWeb.com See the RootsWeb Help Desk: http://helpdesk.rootsweb.com/ FamilySearch Internet Genealogy Service http://www.familysearch.org/ Genealogy Resources on the Internet - Mailing Lists http://www.rootsweb.com/~jfuller/gen_mail.html Good luck and successful surfing to everyone online - both newbies and oldbies, Cyndi http://www.CyndisList.com Tami P. Ramsey [email protected] President, Pulaski County Genealogy Club Pulaski County VA GenWeb Coordinator & Listowner http://www.rootsweb.com/~vapulask/ Montgomery County VA GenWeb Coordinator & Listowner http://www.rootsweb.com/~vamontgo/montgomy.htm Washington County VA GenWeb Coordinator http://www.rootsweb.com/~vawashin/ Overton Co. TN GenWeb Coordinator & Listowner http://www.rootsweb.com/~tnoverto/overton.htm Fentress & Pickett Co. TN GenWeb Coordinator http://www.rootsweb.com/~tnfentre/fent.htm http://www.rootsweb.com/~tnpicket/pick.htm Webmaster Wilderness Road Regional Museum http://www.rootsweb.com/~vapulask/wrrm/index.htm Webmaster for New River Historical Society Homepage http://www.rootsweb.com/~vanrhs/ RAMSEY Family Webpage http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~ramsey/ SULSER Family Webpage & Listowner http://sulser.rootsweb.com/