THE PROBLEM
Genealogy is a very time consuming hobby. It is full of dead ends and wrong leads. Even with today's computer it still takes a lot of time. Pity our poor elders who had to wait weeks some time for the mail, and then hope it was the right one. Maybe that's why our hobby appeals mostly to those of us "of riper years".
And then there's the question of names. If you're looking for someone with a name like "John Smith" you might as well consign yourself to a long search. So often the same name is used for generations in a family, even among all the cousins. Which one is the one you seek?
POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS
1. The computer has certainly sped up the process.
2. The use of the Ahnentafel, and of ID numbers in general, cuts down on confusion among those with the same name.
3. Summary Charts help to serve as a collection point for links all over the Internet.
Basic facts are all in one place and links substantiate all those facts.
4. A website for Branches (or Roll Call) gives a quick outline to help select the exact "John Smith" you want. The association with parents, spouse and children helps to narrow the search much better than a mere alphabetical listing of names.
5. Since everything pertaining to a certain "John Smith" all has the same ID number, all of the collateral data is easy to find, even when it's in someone else's file.
THE BRANCHES
1. Each segment of Branches was supplied by someone who want you to know what they have, what they need, and an email address so you can get in touch with them.
2. The line numbers are, roughly speaking, generational guides. So that all persons on line 5 for example, regardless of the segment, are probably all in the same generation.
3. By highlighting the line number, and not the whole line, you know there is a link to further information without having to deal with a lot of distracting lines all over the page.
4. Branches serves as a primary index, uncluttered with other data. Using CTRL+F will work on most all computers. If there are too many "John Smith"s, you can easily search for his wife's name, or possible a parent or child.
5. Using the email address lets you check for sources, confirm elusive data or just chat with a cousin whose lineage you share. The Consanguinity Chart helps to establish just how close kin you are.
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