TMG-L Archives

Archiver > TMG > 2001-11 > 1004652495


From: Beverly Smallwood <>
Subject: Re: [TMG] Using Filemaker to keep track of records
Date: Thu, 01 Nov 2001 16:08:15 -0600
References: <F169u6aqAGppWVSQb840000ca93@hotmail.com>


Gene Stuff wrote:
>
> >From: Beverly Smallwood <>
> >Reply-To:
> >To:
> >Subject: Re: [TMG] Using Filemaker to keep track of records
> >Date: Wed, 31 Oct 2001 19:57:41 -0600
> >
> >I use Bygones (a file maker pro database). It's a nifty program for
> >note taking & complements TMG very well. It's a little different than
> >Clooz, more flexible, faster data entry, free ...
> >
>
> Beverly,
>
> I'm wondering why you need an additional product like Bygones to supplement
> TMG. Doesn't TMG allow you to organize sources, research tasks, people,
> images, etc. What does Bygones do better? FYI I'm still using UFT while
> awaiting TMG v5. I feel I can do all of this in UFT. How is TMG lacking?
> >From the little that I've used TMG it appears to have a better task manager
> than UFT, though I like UFT's source handling better. I'm hoping TMG v5
> will have all the best features from both.
>
>
Hi Gene

Yes, you can use TMG to do many of the functions of Bygones. I prefer
to use Bygones because it is faster and easier for notetaking. Also, I
prefer that my notes look as much like the original source as possible.
My interpretation of that source goes into TMG. For instance, the 1900
census shows John is the son of Fred. It doesn't name his relationship
to Fred's wife, Jane. Based on John's age and the number of years Fred
& Jane have been married, I can assume whether he is Jane's son as
well. That assumption goes in TMG. If later evidence contradicts this,
I can go back to my original notes to see whether I misinterpreted
something.

On a recent trip to Salt Lake city, I had both programs open on my
laptop at all times. I use TMG as a reference during research, but take
all my notes in Bygones. This serves two purposes. One, it frees me to
record the source without interpretation, and two, I'm not slopping
stuff in TMG as quickly as I can. Later, when I have time to carefully
consider all the data in the source, shake it, turn it upside down and
inside out, I can put it into TMG piece by piece - building a source and
carefully footnoting everything, checking sentence structure, setting
flags, adding people, etc.

When I returned home, I filtered Bygones for all notes taken during that
time period and printed them out and collated them with my xerox
copies. Then, I started the slow process of data entry into TMG. Slow,
because to really do it right you need to pull apart all the pieces of
information, consider their origin and intent, consider them
independantly and in the context of what you've already gathered on the
individuals.

Bygones also has some features that TMG does not have and some that work
better. This is because the design and intent of the software is
different. Example, there is an address book (contact list) that would
roughly correspond to the repository list in TMG. The difference is
that in Bygones it ties to the correspondence log and form letter
database. Thus, it speeds up the process of corresponding and keeping
track of it. The Correspondence db provides a simple facility to move
the results into the research extract form. The locality db would
correspond to the Master Place List, but it allows you so attach maps
for easy reference while you are doing the research.

There are people and index databases, but I rarely use them because TMG
satisfies me in those areas. I keep unrelated and potentially related
people in my TMG dataset. Some people prefer not to and these parts of
Bygones would help track these unlinked items.

I don't really think it is, or should be, an either or proposition. No
single tool will do everything I want. I have chosen to use two tools
that complement one another nicely. In the end, it is simply a matter
of personal preference.

Hope that helps, I know you'll enjoy TMG5 - Several UFT users have
joined our TMG user group (www.rootsweb.com/~ilcaggni)

Bev

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