Susan Farrell Bankhead, Certified Genealogist (sm)
No Worries Web Creation Tool: The Next Generation
Do you want to create your own family tree website but don’t know how to write code? I’ve got just the tool for you! It’s called The Next Generation of Genealogy Sitebuilding or TNG.
I’ve seen this product at other conferences, but more recently I attended Laura Prescotts’ RootsTech lecture, “Publish Your Genealogy Online.” Laura demonstrated TNG’s features and how she used them to create a family history webpage.
Features include:
- Ability to import or export GEDCOM
- Easy to read
- Pre-build templates or design your own
- Privacy protection
- Collaborate with others
- Central menu to manage pages
- Host more than one tree
- Technical support
I was so impressed by what I saw, I decided to give it a try.
I picked up a copy of the just released version 9 from creator Darrin Lythgoe.
I found TNG easy to install, easy to navigate, and offered help along the way. There are eleven pre-designed templates to choose from. I picked Template 2, set it up, and imported my GEDCOM, but then changed my mind because I wanted more words on the main page, so I switched to Template 9. All of my GEDCOM followed into the new template. Then, I wanted to change the names of the tabs from “His Side” and “Her Side,” to “Descendants” and “His Story.” I haven’t included the text of his story yet, but plan to do it. I also imported a photo from my computer.
As I worked with the program, I hit a road block because of my own tech ignorance. I phoned Darrin and he kindly walked me through my problem.
My opinion: I like it. I really like it. Here I am, Miss Non-Tech of the Universe, and I created the webpage and I know how to make additions, changes, etc. If I could do it, you can too!
Note: This product helps you design your website but you will still need a place (or host) to put your website and a domain name. I use Bluehost for my blog and for my website. TNG’s website offers some other hosting options for you as well.
Here’s my webpage so far: Farrell Family History: Descendants of Thomas Francis Farrell. I plan to add a distant cousin as an administrator, so she can upload her own photos, stories, etc., to the site. We’ll be working on this over the next couple of months, so I’ll let you know when I have more to show you.
Disclosure: Darrin Lythgoe gave me a complimentary copy of this product to use and review, but I received no compensation for it. The opinions expressed herein are my own.
Susan,
I too just started with TNG after hearing about it at the RootsTech conference. I chose the same template as you. I already am totally hooked. It’s now my new primary genealogy database. I’m no longer using my desktop software.
TNG was able to solve two things for me. 1) The ability to share my family tree online without constant GEDCOM uploads, and 2) The ability to share photos, images of documents, etc. and connect them to the associated people. I was doing separate photo galleries, which I still might do in some cases. But usually, I want the image to be associated with the person(s).
Nice write-up. Thanks.
Calvin
Thank YOU, Calvin! Nice to hear you like TNG, too.
I love TNG, too. I’ve been using it for several years now. I am not currently updating my site online, but I have it installed in a web environment on my computer (I could have showed it to you on my laptop when we roomed together!)
I do most of my updating on my “desktop” computer, but it’s very easy to transfer the files over to the laptop to have an up-to-date version there — which is what I do when I’m going on a research trip.
One of the things I like best about it as opposed to other genealogy software is the ability to see everything in a person’s life all on one long web page. Since you can order events, you can create a timeline of their lives.
Taking a cue from a genealogy friend, I also create a “person” who is the name of the county (first name) and state (last name). When I research in that county, I create an event with the date and place of the research trip. Then I take all my research notes in a “note” for that event. It makes it so easy to go back and see what I’ve done. And best of all everything is all in one place.
When you create media, you can attach people to that media. For all the deeds I transcribe or documents I upload, I then attach that media to the “County, State” person I created and took my research notes in.
Wow Patti! You’re using TNG as a place to park your research. Great idea. I love it! Thanks for sharing.
I’ve been using TNG since October 2008, when I was just starting out in researching my genealogy. I specifically wanted an out-of-the box genealogy software that I could update on the fly directly on the web, and TNG has been all that I have used since I first downloaded it. I don’t use a desktop program, and I don’t upload any Gedcoms.
I have to add that although TNG is great for non-technical users, it is also highly customizable for more technical users (I consider myself somewhere in between non-technical and technical). Customer support is excellent, and I can’t say enough praises for the developer Darrin Lythgoe.