We received an email saying we should turn on our center computers before 6 December so that Windows
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@StevenBrandt1 StevenBrandt1
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Steven
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I am "Tagging" this (General) 'Question' of yours, to the (Private) 'Group' being "Family History Center Consultants", in this "Community.FamilySearch" Forum; so that, the members of that group can answer/assist you.
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And, as you did not indicate where your "Family History Centre" is located ...
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Just in case, your "Family History Centre" is located somewhere in "North America", I am ALSO "Tagging" this (General) 'Question' of yours, to the (Private) 'Group' being "FHC Technical Support (North America)", in this "Community.FamilySearch" Forum; so that, the members of that group can answer/assist you.
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Both those 'Groups' are "Private" 'Groups', where you can "Request" to "Join" those "Groups', if you have a 'Calling' in a "Family History Centre"; and, for the latter 'Group', if your "Family History Centre" is located in "North America".
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Brett
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@Family History Center Consultants
@FHC Technical Support (North America)
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No we are asking that ALL FHC Centers in North America Leave their computers powered on from December 7, 20202 through December 13, 2020 so we can gater status and verify the various windows 10 versions installed and make sure that all are on the same update cycle.
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Could that be communicated more precisely? The original letter is vague about how long to keep them powered on and also whether or not computers already on W-10 need to be included.
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We recommend that all computers in the center regardless of the operating system be turned on prior to December 7, 2020 and remain on until Monday December 14, 2020.
The only exception would be computers connected to Digital Imaging System running Windows 7 and these should not be turned on OR connected to the network.
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@Ken Richins - FHC Support Tech Lead You mention North America. We are in Australia and received the same message so I assume that this includes us? I am asking as it is a bit tricky. Our chapel is still in lockdown until Sunday 6th and then only half the building will be open, NOT including the FHC.
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We have no information or advice for Family History Centers not located in the North America Area. Each Area has their own independent Technology department. We can only advise for what is being done in the North America Area by our engineers and technicians.
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Why can't a program such as VueScan be added to Windows 10 so that the computers can both be updated from Windows 7 to Windows 10, and still use some of the older scanners? I've found it to be an outstanding program on my two home scanners that stopped being supported past Windows XP or 2000 in the case of my Nikon 35mm film/slide scanner, and Windows 10 32bit OS for the flatbed. Both (along with about 6000 other scanners) are fully functional today on Windows 10 64bit (latest version). That's the whole purpose of VueScan - to allow constant upgrading of operating systems (not just Windows), but also continued use of older but trusted scanners. Is there a reason we can't use that in the FHC as long as it's properly paid for and licensed?
--Chris
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VuScan can be used but to use it in a FHC the Stake must purchase a commercial License! Family History Centers are commercial enterprises and so must purchase commercial licenses for ALL products used in the center and the cost of Licenses for products not supplied in the Application Finder are an expense that the local Stake must provide. The cost of the commercial Licenses for VuScan is $50 to $100 depending on if you purchase the Standard or Professional version. This is certainly an option for those stakes willing to spend the money. However, be advised that we are moving away from the use of scanned images in Family History Centers. Just as we are moving from Family History Center room to Family History Buildings. I would add that you should carefully and prayerfully read the primary focus or purpose of the Stake Temple and Family History Consultant in the handbook and other recent documentation provided by the church. What we did in the past is not how we will do family history in the future. We are on the verge of new era and method of doing Family History that will involve more individuals with better and more accessible tools to accomplish Family History and a pace unimagined even today. In my opinion, it is truly the time to let go of the past and embrace new methods and new processes and new tools, to complete this magnificent work that we have before us.
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I could not be more supportive of the direction we've been heading with family history research. I have no desire nor am I in any way advocating that we go backwards! However, your response includes some statements that suggest there are very major changes that we out here away from Church Headquarters have no knowledge of - or else there are some other meanings to the above response that aren't immediately obvious to at lease some of the rest of us.
You stated that, "we are moving away from the use of scanned images in Family History Centers." It would be helpful if we, out here in the field, understood what that means. In what way are we "moving away from scanned images in Family History Centers?" Almost all records available on line anymore are scanned images, and there are restricted records (scanned images) that are ONLY available in a FHC or FamilySearch Affiliate Library. Surely that is not what you were referring to - otherwise, researching our ancestors would be virtually impossible as paper records deteriorate, burn up, or are otherwise lost. Surely the Church would not be on the verge of having completed full digitizing of all previously paper records and films if we were moving away from scanned images. Please explain what else was meant by that.
And the other statement that, "we are moving from Family History Center room to Family History Buildings," sounds a bit ominous for those of us in less populated areas that will never justify the opening of a FamilySearch Center such as found in larger Latter-day Saint population areas like Layton, Lehi, and St. George, Utah, or the one being converted to a FamilySearch Center in San Diego, CA. Is that statement implying that family history centers in stake centers are going to be closed entirely? How then are restricted records going to accessed by those not anywhere near the FHL or Discovery Centers? And how would the Premium Websites currently available in Family History Centers then be available to a wider number of people in less densely populated areas (particularly with fewer Latter-day Saints)? Are existing Family History Centers being considered for outright closure?
Assuming that there is something quite different than either of the above scenarios, it would seem quite advantageous for a reasonably well-used FHC to have a separate scanner besides the one built into the Lexmark printers for use by patrons who don't own a scanner at home. Many people have large boxes of photos and documents that further deteriorate every year. If the Lexmark scanner is tied up by someone using it to preserve their own photos and documents from light, heat, humidity, theft, fire, flood, etc., then the printer is unavailable to anyone else using other computers in the FHC. But a stand alone FHC scanner could be an invaluable resource for anyone wanting to preserve memories if they don't own a scanner at home (or even have a computer as is the case with some of our patrons). With a stand alone scanner the FHC printer would then be available to all of the other computers being used in the FHC while a patron used the separate scanner to preserve their documents. Our own FHC has been used exactly for that purpose with members scanning to their own thumb drive on the FHC printer. Most (not all - but over 6500) old scanners will work with VueScan (there's a free trial to check it out), so we're certainly supportive of making that available to members and non-members using our FHC.
Additionally, we've actually been moving toward creating the concept in our FHC that is embodied in the newer FamilySearch Centers by making our FHC more of a learning center. We've added a projector and screen for training and classes, along with helping families to preserve their paper and film memories through scanning to thumb drives and uploading to FamilySearch "Memories" as recommended (and included in the FHAR) by the Church. What am I missing or not understanding? I suspect I may not be the only one.
--Chris
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@Ken Richins - FHC Support Tech Lead I realise you are based in the US but this is the first time I heard about the church moving away from FHC to FH Buildings. Are there any such Family History Buildings outside fo the US? I fully agree that in the future the focus will be more on individuals researching most likely from their homes but that doesn’t help with “images” that are restricted only for viewing at a Family History Centre. In our area the distances to the Family History centres ( ie rooms within chapels) are already making it difficult for patrons to use these on a regular basis and if such a building were to be made available this would increase the distance even more. Are we working on making more of the documents available for viewing in our homes? I am in any case finding more and more documents are being made digitally available in online libraries not connected to the church. For instance the Catholic Church in Germany are working on having all church books available to anyone online. Many local Archive centres are also busy digitising and enabling online viewing of their archives.
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Chris, I wish I could say more but I have already crossed the line with what is to be public knowledge at this time. Many of what I hinted will not happen for months or even possibly in the next year. We just know from experience that as support is dropped by Headquarters, the authorization of that equipment and software will soon is withdrawn. That will be followed with the requirement to remove the equipment or software from the center.
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There are not any in the US or to my knowledge anywhere in the world currently. We know that long range plans include the expanding of the FHC from a room to a larger area or areas. When and how that will be accomplished I cannot say. When enough points have been defined and you know the direction it is reasonable to forecast when the line will extend to and have a general idea of the approximate time to reach that point. My understand is that existing church builds will be used rather than build large more centralized mega centers.
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Thank you for this information Bro. Richins. We received two notices about the update. There was no mention of how long we were to leave the on. Good to know. The Missionaries will not be too happy...
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