Laura3: Hello everyone, welcome to Fianna tonight...Tex^mom is here from Afternet #GenealogyForum to discuss IRC with you and me. We will let her run the show and she can let you know about interuptions for questions etc

tex^mom: Good evening, everyone. It is a pleasure and an honor to have been invited to share my IRC thoughts with you tonite.
tex^mom: When Laura asked if I would be a guest here, I was a little taken aback, as I have not been on IRC as long as some seem to believe I have and did not feel qualified. However, I have been online long enough to know many of the pitfalls and advantages to doing genealogy through this medium. Twelve of us started a genealogy channel believing we could make a contribution to the way things were done here.
tex^mom: We have learned the value of shared information and helping each other. There is a mountain of information out there waiting to be utilized by us. So much, in fact, that it can become overwhelming. We just have to learn the best way to find and use that information and do it in a joyful, relaxing manner so that we avoid genealogy "burn-out".
tex^mom: I do have some advice for those of you new to Internet Relay Chat (IRC). You have the right to expect to be treated with courtesy and should accept nothing less. There are many genealogy channels and there is one that will suit your needs and personality, so, do not get discouraged if you aren't particularly comfortable in the first few you visit. Nor should you "take root" too quickly in one that pleases you.
tex^mom: Visit ALL of the channels that you hear about. Make as many contacts as you can comfortably make. However, remember that you may be "visiting" in a new channel, but you have "invited" those people in that channel into your home and have the right to expect to be treated with respect.
tex^mom: As point of courtesy that you may overlook, always use the NICKNAME (or an abbreviation of that nick) of the person you are addressing in the channel even if you know them personally and usually use their real first name. It is very confusing to others in the channel for you to say "How are you, Sally?" if there is no Sally in the nicknames list. It tends to make people feel excluded and isolated.
tex^mom: There are ways to cut down on IRC harassments. While my nick is obviously of feminine gender, "mom" seems a bit of a deterent to the "jerks" of the IRC world and I don't get as much of it as a Katie, ^Mary, or other feminine names do. So, if possible, choose a nickname that is neutral, and avoid using "REAL NAME" in information that is accessible by other users by doing /whois on your nickname.
tex^mom: A big factor in enjoying IRC is learning the program you have chosen to use. i.e. mirc, pirch, virc, etc. Most people I know use mirc and it seems to be the standard to which others are compared. Knowing the program may take a little of your time, but the rewards are many. Make it work FOR you, not against you. Learn the features that make using IRC easy and efficient. Laura can steer you to places to get help with your program.
tex^mom: ALWAYS ask the question on your mind. Someone in the channel has the answer or can tell you where to find it or help you find it. SOMEone has probably asked the question before you. Perhaps they WANT to ask and just don't for one reason or another. I have seen one question trigger wonderful exchanges of information. ASK !
tex^mom: If you joined IRC to connect your surnames with someone you meet, dont' be disappointed if it doesn't happen soon. The biggest advantage to IRC is that it helps you "help yourself", AND it keeps up the morale! Sorta like "misery loves company". :) We all get discouraged but we have each other to pull us up and keep the fire burning to dig some more. Nothing lights that fire faster than seeing someone make a "find".
tex^mom: IRC is new ground and a new tool to most of us. There are no guidelines except our instincts and, like in our efforts when we started our searches, we are grateful for any information that leads us to "discovery". Find a friend who will teach you to use search engines effectively (wish I had one of those).
tex^mom: Just a word here about using "URL Catchers" in your IRC programs.. LABEL THEM AS YOU COLLECT THEM. Create a "filing system" for them that makes sense to YOU.
Catagorize them and enter a description that will tell you at a glance what is on that website. You can spend hours hunting that GREAT site you were in last week if you don't do this.
tex^mom: Genealogy : Cyndi http://www.oz.net/~cyndihow/sites.h tm
tex^mom: Don't let yourself get bombarded with TOO MUCH information about where to go and what to look for on the web. An excellent place to start is Cyndi's page for genealogy information.
tex^mom: I suggest that you visit there a few times with NO INTENT of looking for something particular. The site is extensive and you will miss something important if you are looking for something in particular. Prowl around!
tex^mom: will wait for a few moments to see how long the split lasts
Renik: When looking at county pages on the Genweb be sure to check all counties
tex^mom: For information in a particular part of the country, be sure to explore the USGenWeb site. Most counties in each State have excellent sites there giving some detailed information on the County's history. You may just find an ancestor lurking on those pages. Again, browse around and see what is available in the counties you are researching. Genealogy : US GENWEB http://www.usgenweb.com/
tex^mom: Another excellent website to start you on your endeavor is the RootsWeb site. Here you can do surname searches and subscribe to surnames Mailing Lists. Genealogy : Rootsweb https://sites.rootsweb.com/
tex^mom: A word of caution might be well taken here however. Go slowly in subscribing to lists. It is easy to become bogged down with email. I suggest you subscribe to one or two in the beginning
tex^mom: If you can handle the responses to those then add others one per week if you wish. Don't overload yourself! This is supposed to be fun! Keep it light and have a great time doing it! Happy Hunting Everyone!
tex^mom: If you have questions or if I can help you in any way, don't hestitate to ask. THE SCREEN IS YOURS NOW ! Thank you for inviting me here this evening ! :))