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NZSG – a way forward

NZSG – a way forward. November 2009. Joe: What you do? how you do it? Lynne: How we move the society forward, options, demos. NZSG – Strategic Issues The NZGDB project Possibilities for NZSG. NZSG Strategic Issues. The NZSG’s present recipe is faltering

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NZSG – a way forward

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  1. NZSG – a way forward November 2009 WWW.NZGDB.CO.NZ

  2. Joe: What you do? how you do it? Lynne: How we move the society forward, options, demos • NZSG – Strategic Issues • The NZGDB project • Possibilities for NZSG WWW.NZGDB.CO.NZ

  3. NZSG Strategic Issues • The NZSG’s present recipe is faltering • Books, magazine, meetings are less attractive to the Internet generation. • Increasing competition from new-technology sources • Dick Eastman: “Interest in family history is booming, but conference attendance and society membership is declining” • The NZSG must change to survive, but it’s not clear what do to • Will “putting everything on the Internet” save the society? Or will it hasten its demise? WWW.NZGDB.CO.NZ

  4. Internet Benefits 1 • A better way of selling information? • If NZSG “put its data on line” then • Reduced distribution cost compared to CD’s • Easier technology as Index grows > 640MB • Issues like Index V5’s privacy problems easily managed • Would have been sorted in an hour, without withdrawal • Can reach a global audience more easily • Can keep updating databases continuously • Not a big production like V5 index, but continuous improvement • Can sell annual subscriptions WWW.NZGDB.CO.NZ

  5. Internet Benefits 2. • An attractive Internet presence will be a drawcard • A reason for joining NZSG • A reason to stay a member But:- WWW.NZGDB.CO.NZ

  6. Internet Issues1 Will people pay? • Will people pay for information on line? • Perception “Internet sites should be free”. Resistance to Ancestry.com, WVR, etc. • However, FindMyPast etc popular, so people will pay where they see value • What is “Fair price” for on line access vs CD? • How much revenue can you expect? • Probably lower unit charge, but more revenue WWW.NZGDB.CO.NZ

  7. Internet Issues 2. Existing Income • Will this damage existing income? • Will people still buy CD’s? • Very few: most not • On the other hand, can sell as a subscription • So recurring income • My guess: lower price, but higher revenue • But this is only a guess, won’t know until it’s tried • And once tried, expectations will be set, difficult to change if you’ve got it wrong • With no CD currently in production, this is the best time to make the change! WWW.NZGDB.CO.NZ

  8. Internet Issues 3 Security. • Can information be stolen? • Properly done, more secure than CD’s • But can’t totally secure the information with either medium • Can log access (demo of NZGBD log feature?) • giving NZSG a tool to monitor lookup on behalf of non-members (endemic problem now) WWW.NZGDB.CO.NZ

  9. Internet Issues 4. Cost. • Requires a significant amount of programming to do properly • FamNet development ~ 3 mths full time, and still not finished. And this was building on the NZGDB development, ~ 3 years, independently estimated at $700K if you were paying for it at commercial rates • Requires a serious back-end environment • Professionally managed server, security patches, serious database, etc. • Requires ongoing systems management • Does the NZSG have the appropriate skills for this? • Only feasible option is a partnership • NZGDB, LDS, TGN, WVR, etc. WWW.NZGDB.CO.NZ

  10. Joe: What you do? how you do it? Lynne: How we move the society forward, options, demos • NZSG – Strategic Issues • The NZGDB project • Possibilities for NZSG WWW.NZGDB.CO.NZ

  11. The Vision • The best source of NZ Genealogy info • The best record about an individual • All important features of PC genealogy programs • All the advantages of Internet-shared databases • A vibrant, on-line community WWW.NZGDB.CO.NZ

  12. The Concept (1) • To combine features of your personal database • (FTM, Legacy, PAF, etc.) • Search, Update, links, scrapbook, etc. • Reports, charts, … • With the advantages of web systems • Sharing • Collaboration and linking • Instant Publishing WWW.NZGDB.CO.NZ

  13. Initial Thoughts.Genealogy is: - A work in progress So must be easy to update – fact by fact A cooperative activity So easy communication with record owners a must It’s the extras that make it interesting! So not just GEDCOM, also pictures, narrative, etc WWW.NZGDB.CO.NZ

  14. More Thoughts • Privacy is important • Must manage privacy, not leave this to user • Must provide secure sharing of private information • Ownership is important • Your data should not end up as somebody else’s • No download facility • Synchronize tools automatically create attribution • Nobody else should change your data • Yet: incorrect facts should be correctable • Communicate with record owners • Post-it facility WWW.NZGDB.CO.NZ

  15. Search, Update The Concept (2) • Reduce duplication • Link as alternative to Copy WWW.NZGDB.CO.NZ

  16. Demo • Illustrates three key themes • Control • Publish • Communicate WWW.NZGDB.CO.NZ

  17. Since release • Database Growth • June 2007: ~ 600,000 • June 2008: ~ 6,000,000 • Now (3/11/09): 14,140,706 • Features added • Duplicate matching • Scrapbook • On line updating • Tree merging • Charts • General (user-defined) databases WWW.NZGDB.CO.NZ

  18. User-Database Facilities • Create database, with your table design • Instantly available on line, for data entry and update • Ownership: Group, Individual, or Hierarchical • Owner can control access • Combined Database Search • Numbers of hits. Still have to go to DB to see records DEMO WWW.NZGDB.CO.NZ

  19. Ongoing development • Subscription and restricted databases • If/when there is a customer • E-commerce and advertising • “Vidtree” • Family Show and improvements in charting • Web 2.0 portal • Includes personal web sites, blogs, wikis WWW.NZGDB.CO.NZ

  20. Joe: What you do? how you do it? What do I do? How? • Develop program with ASP.Net • Visual Basic • SQL Server • Technical advice from net • Often 40-60 hours/week • Job management database • Job recording, Time recording • Server support – outsourced to IFM Ltd WWW.NZGDB.CO.NZ

  21. Joe: What you do? how you do it? Lynne: How we move the society forward, options, demos • NZSG – Strategic Issues • The NZGDB project • Possibilities for NZSG WWW.NZGDB.CO.NZ

  22. NZSG and the Internet • Why do people join (and remain in) the society? • The magazine? The library? • Access to CD’s? Meetings? • Social? Habit? • The website? Access to other sites? e.g. Gale Newspapers • Will this attract the next generation? • (In my opinion) The NZSG needs to use the Internet as a reason to join the society • Should rank in importance with the magazine, perhaps more, with appropriate budget. • Offer databases on-line, making the members-only web site a reason to belong WWW.NZGDB.CO.NZ

  23. NZSG databases on line • I believe that NZSG MUST partner with somebody to achieve this • Has neither budget nor skills to go it alone • Significant development and systems management required – could easily turn into a black hole for $$ • Only affordable way is to piggyback on an existing development: a company with an existing Internet family history presence • Options: • NZGDB, TGN, WVR, FindMyPast etc WWW.NZGDB.CO.NZ

  24. NZSG revenue options • To offer NZSG CD databases to Subscribers • And to put other collections on-line, e.g. Certificate Collection • Revenue options • Premium subscription • Say $40 more than standard? • Charge individually for each database • Pay per view • I strongly favor a premium subscription • Simple to program and to manage • Can charge annually • My opinion: more attractive to members, will bring in much more revenue WWW.NZGDB.CO.NZ

  25. NZSG Cost-Saving(and service improvements) • Electronic Communication with members • Substantial cost savings from partially replacing magazine • Better service: monthly distribution • Services like “Information Wanted” etc electronic only • More immediate, searchable • Remote presentations • On-line video presentations. Free or ppv? WWW.NZGDB.CO.NZ

  26. Why NZGDB? 1 • Only credible Australasian partnership option • Others are U.K. or U.S.A • NZSG will not be important to them, you’d be lost in the noise • Only one where you can influence priorities • Also, probably the only one that will support your own branding, while also giving you the advantages of a larger presence. • We will be the cheapest • Like Bunnings, we will beat any comparable offer by 10% • We have the facilities • NZSG’s entire CD collection = approx 20% extra database space. GDBServer would still have 95% free disk space Ben Franklin: “We must hang together, else we shall surely hang separately” WWW.NZGDB.CO.NZ

  27. Why NZGDB? 2 • We can start putting your data on line tomorrow • I can complete the programming that you will need within days of “go” • Further programming to make it easy to manage projects on-line, supporting Diane etc, is easy • We can handle electronic newsletter distribution etc immediately • Data remains yours, you do not lose control • Recommend annual contract – leaves options open for the future • Can take advantage of NZGDB’s developments to offer exciting services to your members and branches. Ben Franklin: “We must hang together, else we shall surely hang separately” WWW.NZGDB.CO.NZ

  28. Why NZGDB? 3 • Brings further revenue options • NZSG could sell discounted NZGDB subscriptions and earn commission • NZGDB could sell NZSG memberships (commission) • NZSG databases will appear in NZGDB combined-database search, driving non-members to NZSG subscriptions • NZSG could earn revenue through introducing other organizations to NZGDB (ongoing commission) • NZSG could sell NZGDB advertising (commission) WWW.NZGDB.CO.NZ

  29. Why NZGDB? 4 • Brings further data (service) options • Could be added to the NZSG site in minutes (just paste a link) • Free: - • Shipping database • Biographies • Useful Web Sites • Publications (including E-books) • Subscription • NZGDB • E-Commerce options • Sell books, CD’s, etc through NZGDB site WWW.NZGDB.CO.NZ

  30. Costs • Could be on basis of: - • Annual Fee • %age of premium/direct revenue • Payment for development time • Payment for specific services • Or some combination • Doesn’t need much if approached in a spirit of honest partnership. WWW.NZGDB.CO.NZ

  31. Issue - Trust • How can I trust the society? • History of hostility, misrepresentation, even outright lies. Explicit “No apology” in spite of evidence. • How can the society trust NZGDB? • Recent NZSG_LST traffic shows that Richard Stedman, and presumably council members, STILL believe that we have stolen the NZSG’s data • How can NZGDB get a fair hearing? WWW.NZGDB.CO.NZ

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