Hertfordshire Genealogy Web Site - Policy Update

Now that the site is moving into "archive mode" it seemed appropriate to modify the policy statement to reflect the change of service. The new wording includes the following:

This means that in future the web site policy will concentrate on safeguarding the historical content for the future.  The aim is to ensure

1. That the current web site continues to be available - even if no longer updated.
2. That when down-sizing becomes unavoidable no unique documents will be lost
3. If possible the Newsletter will continue even if the main site is no longer being updated.
4. Donations to help the mentally ill will still be accepted and those who have found the web site useful in the past, but have not yet made a contribution will be encouraged to do so.

In making the changes it has been decided to make improvements to the menus - and in future the bottom of each menu will have a link to the Policy/Copright statement. The Home menu has already been updated. In making so a minor systematic mis-link was found which affected about 300 menus. This has been corrected automatically and seems to have worked as intended - but I have not been able to test every links - so apologies if there is any trouble.

"Genealogy in Hertfordshire" moved to new server

At about midday today the main site was moved to a new server. For most people this will make no difference, unless you try to send me a message - when you may get a system error report. There may also be delays in updating the site - although this Newsletter blog will be unaffected. In the long term the changes should lead to a better and more secure service.

These problems should be corrected in a day or two. As I have had a minor asthma attack followed by a head cold the temporary lack of your messages will be welcome at this end!

UPDATE  Friday 13th: The problems with the site are continuing (Ask Chris & Tell Me are not working - and I cannot update the site) and in addition I am still under the weather due toi a cold that has gone to my chest. Emails to me at chris@hertfordhshire-genealogy.co.uk and comments to this newsletter are still reaching me normally.

Flagging up Old Genealogy Answers on this Web Site

This site started as a bulletin board in 1998 and took its present form in 2001. In most cases ten year old answers look very old-fashioned as at that time most information came from paper sources.  The first answer on this web site related to LOVETT, Hemel Hempstead, 19th century. and  I have just had a comment about it from Roy which has highlighted the fact that much of the information which is currently online was not available in 2001. It seems appropriate to add a gentle warning on such "Old Answers" pages and make sure that each page has an active button link (top right) to direct people back to more recent material.

As a result I have decided to add the following warning message to all the earliest  posts.

PLEASE NOTE: When this question was asked the amount of information available online was very restricted and the only census available (on a CD) was the 1881 census. The answer given below should be carefully checked using the additional information now readily available online.

This has already been added to the first 40 answers (referring to answers written between 1998 and May 2001) and a "button block" has been added to the top right-hand corner to make the page compatible with the current standard layout. Later pages will be similarly updated as and when time allows.

Any comments about this policy would be welcome.