Web Site FAQ

(Frequently Asked Questions)

Q. How do I submit a free genealogical Missing Kin advertisement?
A. Missing Kin ads at this Web site are permitted only for the surnames Davy, Ellis, Hunt, Landreth(ith), McPherson, Nash, Nutt, and Rowley(ee). Simply send us your particulars regarding a specific person or geographical area and we will be happy to place a free Missing Kin ad for you. We also need your first and last name (no anonymous submissions). Be sure to write "Missing Kin ad" in the subject line of your e-mail message to clearly identify the purpose of your e-mail. Although currently there isn't any limit to the number of words you may write, in the interest of saving space please do not make your ad to lengthy. You may also submit more than one Missing Kin ad, but here again, please be reasonable in number. We maintain this Web site in our spare time at home, where family and employment constraints limit the time we can devote to this.

Q. What is a GEDCOM file?
A. The acronym GEDCOM stands for GEnealogical Data COMmunications. It is the standard file format for exchanging information between genealogy programs. GEDCOM files will have the filename extension of .ged. GEDCOM is used to transfer information into your genealogy software program from another genealogy program that supports GEDCOM and vice versa. Nearly all genealogy software programs being written today support this standard. The Family History Department of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) developed the GEDCOM standard.
Lets say that you use [whatever yours is] as your genealogy software program, and I use a different genealogy software program [Family Tree Maker, for example]. Different software programs are written in different software languages (often called code), and write their database files in different ways. If you and I exchanged database files in their native formats, our software programs would not be able to interpret and understand each other's database file. GEDCOM is a specific portion of your program's software code that will take your database file and copy it into a "generic" format that all other genealogy software programs will be able to understand (your original database file is unaltered). That way I can receive from you a copy of your database file and will be able to open it in my software program, and vice versa, without having to retype any of the database.
GEDCOM files are easy to create. You should be able to find specific instruction in the software manual that came with your genealogy program, or search the on-line help under GEDCOM.

Q. Can I print a paper copy of the entire database?
A. Yes you can, but it may take a lot of paper, time, and effort. Each surname database is made up of several Web pages. You will have to individually print each Web page of the database. To better understand this, please refer to the organizational setup of these databases. A better solution would be to download the GEDCOM file for the surname database you want, and then import it into your own genealogy software program where you can print in any of the formats you are familiar with.
If you would still like to print a hard copy of the database, open up each surname Web page in your browser (example: http:/www.dnutt.com/surname/dat42.htm), and click your browser's Print button. Generally each 1.9 K of a data file will need 1 sheet of paper to print. Therefore, our shortest data file would need 5 sheets of paper, and our longest data file would need 18 sheets of paper.
[NOTE: The above answer applies to all of our surname databases except McPherson. In that database, simply click on your browser's print button to print any page of data currently loaded into your browser. See our What's New page for an explanation of the new format used with the McPherson database.]

Q. How are the genealogy databases setup?
A. Each surname database on this Web site consists of many index and data files. There are generally twenty-six index files, one for each letter of the alphabet. Index files are smaller and usually range in size from 1 K to 15 K, but can be as large as 36 K on this Web site. As for the data files, they will vary in number according to the number of individuals in each database. Each of our databases contain between 6 to 43 data files. These data files range in size from 8 K to 34 K.
[NOTE: The above answer applies to all of our surname databases except McPherson. In that database there is generally one file for each family. Almost all of the files are size 3 K, but a few can be as large as 6 K. See our What's New page for an explanation of the new format used with the McPherson database.]

Q. What is a database?
A. A collection of information about a subject organized in a useful manner. Databases usually provide methods to store, organize, and retrieve the collected information. There are commonly two types of databases: the flat-file database and relational database.

Q. What is a flat-file database?
A. A database that stores, organizes, and retrieves information from one file at a time. These files mainly consist of lines of text where each line is its own entry. They are about the easiest type of database to create. The databases on this Web site are flat-file databases.

Q. What is a relational database?
A. A database that stores information in two-dimensional tables of columns and rows that can be related to each other if the tables have a common column or field. The databases on this Web site are not relational databases.

Q. What is the Internet?
A. The Internet is simply a system of linked computer networks, worldwide in scope, that facilitates data communication services such as remote login, file transfer, electronic mail, and newsgroups. It began in the late 1960s as a network of computers that the United States Department of Defense (USDOD) developed. In the 1980s the National Science Foundation (NSF) became involved as a way for researchers to share data and access resources located on remote computers. Today many educational, governmental, commercial, and other organizations have connected their own local computer networks to the Internet.

Q. What is Telnet?
A. Telnet is an Internet protocol that allows you to log onto and use other computers that are connected to the Internet no matter where they are located. Telnet is commonly used to connect to library catalogs, community information systems, and fee-based database services. The Telnet program establishes a connection to another computer and opens a "plain vanilla" (meaning text-only) command window on your computer screen.. In this window, you type commands and see the remote computer's responses.

Q. What is FTP?
A. FTP in an acronym for file transfer protocol. It is an Internet standard that enables you to contact another computer on the Internet and exchange files with it. Files that are transferred using FTP can contain text, images, sounds, software, etc.

Q. What is PPP?
A. The acronym PPP is a commonly used abbreviation for the type of dialup Internet access that directly connects your computer with the internet. The acronym is formed from the term Point-to-Point Protocol.

Q. What is SLIP?
A. The acronym SLIP is a commonly used abbreviation for the type of dialup Internet access that directly connects your computer with the internet. The acronym is formed from the term Serial Line Internet Protocol.