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Archiver > APG > 2003-02 > 1045261065


From:
Subject: Re: [APG] online census indexes
Date: Fri, 14 Feb 2003 17:17:45 EST


Richard, when you wrote

<< Not only are they anything like them, the are the same - for all the
indexes
that are from 1790-1870. These are the old Precision Indexing indexes and
when they were pulled from the mainframe computer tape to put on CD it was
discovered that, among other problems, huge chunks of data had disappeared
(a lesson for those of you who plan to "archive" on computer media). You can
find out what is and is not on these early indexes by going to the "store"
on Genealogy.com and checking the source for each state for each year. As a
result of much to-do when these indexes were first issued 8-10 years ago,
Banner Blue - later Broderbund - now Genealogy.com "came clean.">>

Weren't your critical comments intended for the old Accelerated Index System
(AIS) indexes?

I have always found the Precision Indexing indexes (originally from Heritage
Quest, for 1860 and 1870 Censuses) to be far superior to the much more
commion AIS products, and haven't found any major shortcomngs in those for
states I have used. My majorcomplaint was that the PI products were never
prominently enough branded or promoted to distinguish them from the AIS
stuff, so you frequently didn't know what was being offered.

Donn Devine, CG, CGI
Wilmington DE

CG, Certified Genealogist, CGI, and Certified Genealogical Instructor are
service marks of the Board for Certification of Genealogists, used under
license by board certificants after periodic evaluation, and the board name
is registered in the US Patent & Trademark Office.

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