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Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter
| IN THIS ISSUE: |
| Palladium Interactive Purchased By The Learning Company Corporate Acquisitions: An Opinion Family Tree Maker Grant to the National Genealogical Society Rob Armstrong Promoted City Directories Online New Pedigree View on the Ancestry.Com World Tree GenQuest’s Genealogy Survey Kindred Konnections Lowers Prices Update: Generations Grande Suite Update: Desmond Walls Allen Update: GED Browser Update: GENTECH99 and Salt Lake Institute Of Genealogy Year 2000 Census to be a Sample? A Chinese Wish Upcoming Events Home Pages Highlighted |
| December 7, 1998 |
- Palladium Interactive Purchased By The Learning Company The Learning Company is becoming the biggest "name" in genealogy software. This company, based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, has recently acquired company after company. While they have not limited themselves to genealogy-related corporations, the fact is that The Learning Company has recently acquired many leading genealogy programs. A couple of years ago the company merged with SoftKey and thereby picked up the rights to a program called "Family Tree," a genealogy program that I would describe as "simplistic." Then The Learning Company purchased Mindscape, producers of Family Tree Creator. In June of this year The Learning Company announced they would purchase Broderbund, producers of Family Tree Maker and of Family Origins (which, in turn, had been acquired when Broderbund bought Parsons Technology). This week The Learning Company announced still another acquisition: they are purchasing Palladium Interactive, producers of the Ultimate Family Tree. The deal gives The Learning Company a virtual monopoly on genealogy software. The firm will sell Palladium's line of Ultimate Family Tree products alongside all of its other genealogy programs. The Learning Company had sales of $564 million in the first three quarters of this year, while Palladium expects to have revenues of $20 million for the full year. The Learning Company does not plan to disclose the sale price it paid for Palladium. "It's a very small transaction for us," said R. Scott Murray, the company's chief financial officer. The Learning Company paid $330 million for Broderbund Software when that deal was finalized last August. To be sure, there is much more than genealogy software involved in these deals. Mindscape and Broderbund both make a wide variety of software. Palladium is probably best known for its Parroty line of spoof products -- including Pyst, Microshaft Winblows and Star Warped. However, it no longer makes those CD-ROMs. "It was a fun business, but not terribly lucrative," explained Palladium founder and chief executive Ed Bernstein. Palladium also makes software based on the public television show "Wishbone" and on the magazine "Highlights for Children." An interesting twist is the geographic locations of these companies. While The Learning Company is based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, all three of the companies it recently acquired are in Marin County on the west coast. Palladium Interactive headquarters are in San Rafael, California, while Broderbund Software and Mindscape both have their main corporate offices in separate buildings a few miles away in Novato. The close proximity of these three new divisions will allow The Learning Company to consolidate many corporate functions. "We believe it will be a very good fit with our other franchises," according to The Learning Company’s R. Scott Murray. He did not say if any of Palladium's staff of 50 people would be laid off. The Learning Company employs 2,600 people worldwide. Bernstein will continue to run the Palladium business as a separate unit within the Learning Company. Both Murray and Bernstein said that no other decisions have been made about integrating the companies. The Learning Company did not lay off many people when it acquired Mindscape for $150 million in March. However, it did conduct a major housecleaning at Broderbund after its acquisition closed August 31. The Learning Company laid off 500 Broderbund employees, mostly at the Petaluma and Novato facilities.
- Corporate Acquisitions: An Opinion Warning: The following article contains many of my personal opinions. 1998 has been a fascinating year in the genealogy software business. As we approach the end of year, The Learning Company holds a virtual monopoly on the business. Not bad for a company whose name was not recognized by many genealogists back at the beginning of this year! I do not have sales figures available, but my "gut feel" is that The Learning Company now owns genealogy programs that account for 85% to 90% of all the sales of genealogy software in North America and probably a high percentage of the worldwide sales as well. They also provide the majority of genealogy databases, both on the Internet and on CD-ROM. The only large competitor that The Learning Company faces is Havas, another name unknown to genealogists only a few weeks ago. As reported in this newsletter two weeks ago, Havas is presently purchasing Sierra Online and its "Generations Grande Suite" along with many other products. Even so, Havas’ share of the genealogy marketplace is tiny compared to The Learning Company. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints produces Personal Ancestral File, which has been very popular. I don’t consider a church to be a "competitor" to a commercial company although I guess there are elements of that in the case of genealogy software. Nonetheless, Personal Ancestral File is only available for MS-DOS and for Macintosh, two operating systems that account for only a fraction of today’s software sales. Sales of Personal Ancestral File reportedly have declined in recent years; I suspect the sales will decline still further. As such, I would suggest that The Learning Company does not need to be concerned with this "competitor". What does this mean for genealogists? Is it good or is it bad? What will happen to the other genealogy software developers? How about other providers of genealogy databases? Will competition be stifled? None of us will know the answers to those questions for another year or two. But it strikes me that The Learning Company is now in a very unique position where they have enormous influence on the tools we all use daily. The Learning Company (TLC) now can accomplish things that many genealogists have only dreamed about. They have the financial strength to purchase republication rights for all sorts of original records and then make that information available online or on CD-ROM. TLC can improve software standards, and thus improve the quality and capabilities of the software we all use today. Or they could sit back, do nothing, and reap profits on the programs and databases already available today. My guess is that TLC will move forward and will move with great speed. After all, the genealogy software and databases they have acquired is just one segment of their total catalog. They also have educational and family titles, games, and a number of other products that are all going head-to-head against other companies’ products in a very competitive world. In 1998 software products appeared and disappeared almost overnight. I am sure the same will be true of 1999 and beyond. The software business measures time in a different manner than most other businesses. TLC obviously will be moving forward as fast as possible in developing new products and improving existing offerings. They want all of their customers to upgraded frequently to the latest and greatest offerings. Frequent upgrades produce higher revenues. To entice customers to upgrade, the company must offer significant improvements in each release. In the past, the various companies competed for the same customer base. The new company doesn’t have to worry as much about competition. But they certainly do have to worry about enticing present customers to upgrade while also seeking out new customers who have never been interested in genealogy before. Until now, many genealogy software producers spent all their advertising dollars in genealogy publications. TLC’s different brand names have already saturated that marketplace. TLC now must move advertising out to non-genealogy areas in order to gain a significant number of new customers. Various publications recently have claimed that genealogy is the second or third-most popular interest of Americans. Yet our local societies and even our national conferences are tiny. We have a difficult time attracting even 3,000 people to a national conference. Is this really the third-most popular interest for perhaps 250 million people? Let’s say that The Learning Company goes looking for a few million new customers. They have the advertising budget to place ads on big-name television shows. They have the power to get their products stocked on the shelves of every computer store, department store and discount shopping club in North America. If they attract a few million new genealogists, the company obviously succeeds nicely. And so will others. The "fall out" for societies, book publishers, specialty software producers and others in the genealogy business could be tremendous. TLC’s many new customers will also be looking for books, CD-ROM disks, websites, and other information and assistance. Wouldn’t it be nice to see 50,000 people show up for a genealogy convention? Heck, I might even get more subscribers to this newsletter, thanks to The Learning Company. Another area where TLC could exert tremendous influence is in the exchange of genealogy data between different programs or the feeding of data from individual programs into huge genealogy databases. The only "game in town" right now is GEDCOM, a so-called standard that is creaking with old age. Developers and users alike have been complaining about the weaknesses in GEDCOM for many years. I have been writing about GEDCOM deficiencies in this newsletter for almost three years and for more years before that online on CompuServe. To be sure, the LDS Church and other organizations have expended a lot of time and effort coming up with new proposals to improve or replace GEDCOM. The LDS Church announced a proposed new standard last spring. GENTECH later produced a data model, the first step at creating a replacement for the present GEDCOM standard. Yet these improvements have moved forward at glacial speeds. The only improved data exchange software that actually exists as usable software today is Wholly Genes’ GenBridge. While this is an excellent product, I haven’t seen a stampede to Wholly Genes’ door by people or companies who want to adopt it. The Learning Company has an immediate need to improve data exchange among the genealogy programs it now owns. Today’s versions of Family Tree Maker, Ultimate Family Tree, Family Origins, and Family Tree Creator cannot accurately exchange all the data in their databases. TLC obviously needs to fix that. If they can create a method of exchanging data amongst their own programs, then they could also use the same technology to exchange data elsewhere. TLC could create the "new GEDCOM replacement" that will be used to create large online databases. As a commercial corporation, The Learning Company does not need to coordinate with nonprofit groups and interested users around the world. Unlike the nonprofits, they can create or purchase whatever standard they wish and then test it in the marketplace. If it is a good standard, then it probably will be a commercial success. If the standard turns out to be deficient, then it probably will fail. Either way, TLC could get a new standard "out the door" within months. At the present rate of development, GENTECH and/or the LDS Church will not create a new and improved GEDCOM standard for several years. Will The Learning Company actually do that? I have no idea. The remaining software producers and providers of genealogy information on the Internet obviously have to be concerned. Like Microsoft, The Learning Company theoretically could overwhelm its competitors. The owners of those companies must be nervous right now. Yet, like the owners of other software and Internet businesses, these people are striking strategic alliances left and right. Partnerships will be formed and acquisitions will be announced. The days of the small, independent genealogy software provider are probably numbered. While some people will moan the passing of "the good old days," I suspect that genealogists will benefit. One or two or three large corporations can deliver improved software and bigger databases much more easily than two dozen independents who are all chasing the same customer base. Who will be the next acquisition? Or partnership? That is tough to predict, but it is easy to define the likely candidates. Here is my list of potential candidates, presented in alphabetical order:
There may be even more candidates, but the above list shows the ones I think are prime for acquisitions. 1998 has been a very interesting year in the genealogy business, and I suspect that 1999 will be equally interesting.
- Family Tree Maker Grant to the National Genealogical Society Everyone seems to be working on the "Y2K Problem," the expected rash of problems that will occur when the calendar rolls over to January 1, 2000. As an organization devoted to recording genealogy information, including dates ranging back for centuries, the National Genealogical Society (NGS) has some unique problems relating to the turn of the millennium. The NGS faces problems with its database that must be corrected before January 1, 2000, but has lacked the funds to upgrade the database. The Learning Company’s Genealogy Unit, publisher of Family Tree Maker, has given the NGS a $10,000 grant to help them make the necessary system upgrades. In providing this grant, the company is continuing its tradition of offering support to genealogy societies with needs not covered by their normal dues. "Once again, the Family Tree Maker group has displayed their support of the 17,000 plus members of the National Genealogical Society," said Francis Shane, Executive Director of the NGS. "It’s only fitting that the leader in genealogy software would step forward to help us solve this technology problem. They’ve been a good friend over the years, and we are grateful for that support." Earlier this year, The Learning Company gave several grants to small genealogy societies and provided scholarships to people pursuing formal genealogy education, certification, or accreditation. Because genealogists have an interest in family medical histories, The Learning Company recently sponsored a campaign to donate to the American Cancer Society on behalf of contributors to the World Family Tree. The overwhelming response to this campaign enabled the company to exceed the Society’s $10,000 target, and the World Family Tree donation was recognized with an Excalibur Award. Currently, the company is offering a matching grant program to double the value of contributions made through the Federation of Genealogical Societies to the Stern-NARA Gift Fund.
The Learning Company made several announcements this week; I have already mentioned their acquisition of Palladium Interactive. However, another announcement will be of interest to many people in the genealogy business: Rob Armstrong has been promoted to General Manager of The Learning Company’s Genealogy Unit. "I'm excited to lead our continued success in the genealogy software market," said Armstrong. "The category is growing rapidly, and potential for growth online and in direct-to-consumer channels, in addition to traditional retail sales, is phenomenal. Because we're focused on the genealogy business, we're uniquely positioned to understand and meet the needs of consumers in the category, whether that's by helping them trace their family tree using CD-ROMs or the Internet, or by helping them organize and present their family history." In the position of General Manager, Armstrong oversees all aspects of the business, from development to marketing to customer support. Armstrong reports directly to John Moore, President of The Learning Company's Mindscape Division. Armstrong was previously the Vice President of the Family Archives Business Unit, which collects and publishes historical data on CD-ROM. He has 16 years of professional experience in product management, marketing, operations, and software development. He joined the company from Genstar Rental Electronics, where he served as Vice President. At Genstar, he managed product marketing, marketing communications, purchasing, configuration labs, and distribution operations. Previously, he worked as Marketing and Product Manager for several computer-related divisions of General Electric Company. He started his professional career as a software engineer at Texas Instruments. Armstrong holds a B.S. in Computer Science from Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, and an M.B.A. in Marketing and Finance from Columbia University in the City of New York.
The following article originally appeared in the Ancestry Daily News. If you do not yet read this free online publication, all I can say is, "You should." Ancestry sponsors my newsletter, but I would still say the same thing even if they were not sponsors. Editor Juliana Smith, Associate Editor Joel White and their numerous writers turn out a first-class electronic publication every business day. This particular article seems important enough to repeat here for those who do not yet subscribe to Ancestry Daily News:
To subscribe to the Ancestry Daily News, visit http://www.ancestry.com/whatsnew.htm and type your Email address in the box provided, or send your e-mail address to: support@ancestry-inc.com
- New Pedigree View on the Ancestry.Com World Tree Speaking of good things from Ancestry.Com, their World Tree now has the added feature of showing search results in a pedigree format as well as in the list format. This new format makes it easier to make connections with others researching your family lines. When the results of a search appear, just click on the name of the person, or the blue pedigree icon and the information for that individual will appear in a pedigree format. Once you are in the pedigree, just click on any name in that pedigree view to reposition the tree with that individual as the root. To return to the page with individual details, just click on the magnifying glass or the individual's name. Researchers are then given the option of contacting the submitter or downloading the GEDCOM that interests them. For more information or to search the Ancestry World Tree, go to: http://www.ancestry.com/worldtree/tree.htm
Ron Maloney of GenQuest, Inc. issued the following announcement this week:
- Kindred Konnections Lowers Prices The following is a press release from Kindred Konnections:
Kindred Konnections is available at: http://www.kindredkonnections.com/ - Update: Generations Grande Suite Two weeks ago I wrote a brief article about Sierra Home’s new "Generations Grande Suite." The company has now released a lot of details; I have extracted the following from the company’s announcement:
Registered users who purchased Reunion 4 for Windows after Feb 1, 1997. Registered users who purchased Reunion 4 for Windows as part of a trade show special where a free upgrade to Reunion 5 was offered.
Again, the above is a short extract from a very long announcement. Full details on the new software and on how to obtain upgrades are available on the website. You can also find information there about the French and German versions of Generations Deluxe version 4.2. Look at: http://www.sierra.com/sierrahome/familytree/
Desmond has been battling leukemia for several months. This week she wrote a message and asked that it be shared with her many well wishers:
Obviously she still has her excellent sense of humor. Anyone who wishes can send a card to:
Two weeks ago I wrote about GED Browser, a Windows program that converts GEDCOM files to HTML format for use on the World Wide Web. I wrote, "GED Browser was written by Matthew A. Misbach." Matthew wrote and modestly asked that I also give credit to his brother, Brian Misbach. Brian was the principal programmer for the program. Matthew also said that GED Browser has now been downloaded more than 400 times.
- Update: GENTECH99 and Salt Lake Institute Of Genealogy GENTECH’s annual conference is the premier event dedicated to the use of technology for genealogy studies. Next month’s conference will be held in Salt Lake City and is already shaping up to be a good one. The number of attendee pre-registrations is 63% higher than it was last year at this time. The number of exhibitor tables already reserved also is higher than expected. While 1999 sounds like a long ways into the future, this conference will be held only seven weeks from now on January 22-23, 1999. For more information, look at: http://www.gentech.org If you are planning on attending GENTECH99 you might also want to check out the Salt Lake Institute Of Genealogy being held just prior to GENTECH99 on January 18 through 22. You could combine the two on one trip. For details about the Salt Lake Institute Of Genealogy, look at: http://www.infouga.org/institut.htm
- Year 2000 Census to be a Sample? The Clinton administration has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to allow limited statistical sampling for the 2000 census. Solicitor General Seth Waxman, the administration's chief advocate before the nation's highest court, argued that combining sampling with traditional head-counting would be the most efficient way to determine the U.S. population. While "efficient" is the goal of the government, many other groups are objecting. Several justices appeared skeptical of Waxman's argument. They noted that the Constitution required an "actual enumeration" for the census, which is taken every 10 years. Waxman explained that the Census Bureau, every 10 years, sent out a questionnaire to every U.S. household. Normally, about 30 percent of the households do not respond. The Census Bureau then sends interviewers to about 90 percent of those homes. The administration would like the Census Bureau to be able to use sampling for the remaining 10 percent. Waxman described sampling as a "highly reliable statistical way" of correcting possible inaccuracies. He said studies found that traditional head-counting had missed millions of members of minority groups. Despite the studies and numbers cited by Waxman, justices seemed concerned that sampling could undermine the census. "Most people would think actual enumeration means a count," Justice Sandra Day O'Connor said. Justice Antonin Scalia said sampling could have been used under the first census law of 1790, but he noted that the framers of the Constitution did not see fit to do it that way. "I think the difficulty of finding people in the early frontier days was more difficult than finding people today," Scalia said. The census was never intended to be used for genealogy purposes although it obviously is one of the richest resources that we have. Instead, a census is required by the U.S. Constitution in order to establish how many seats each state will obtain in the House of Representatives. In recent years the census also has been used for many economic purposes, such as determining how to distribute federal aid to the states.
When translated into Mandarin Chinese, Pepsi's advertising slogan of "Come alive with the Pepsi Generation" becomes "Pepsi brings your ancestors back from the grave." Hmmm, I think something got lost in the translation. This and some other cute "translations" are available at: http://www.languageresources.com/trans.html
The Upcoming Events section of the newsletter is published once per month. Each event will be listed very briefly: title, date(s), location, and sponsoring organization, all followed by either an e-mail address or a Web page that you can use to find more information. Since detailed information is available via e-mail or the Web, I will not list the details in this newsletter. If you do contact any of these organizations, please tell them where you heard about the event. Here are the listings, arranged by date. An asterisk indicates a new listing that has been added since the last time this list was published:
If you would like to see your event listed, send an e-mail to: meetings@rootscomputing.com. You must include either a Web page that gives details or an e-mail address for the organization or for someone within the organization who is willing to supply the meeting details upon request. Please limit your listings to events where you expect 100 or more people to attend.
The following is a list of some of the genealogy-related World Wide Web home pages that have been listed recently on http://www.rootscomputing.com. Some of these sites may charge a fee for their services:
If you would like to submit news, information or press releases for possible inclusion in future newsletters, send them to roots@compuserve.com. The author does reserve the right to accept or reject any articles submitted.
DISCLAIMER: This newsletter is being written and sent via e-mail at no charge. I expect to write one new issue on a more or less weekly basis. However, life sometimes interferes, and the need to earn a living may create an occasional delay.
COPYRIGHTS: While the contents of this newsletter are copyright by Richard W. Eastman and by Ancestry Publishing and by others so designated, you are hereby granted rights, unless otherwise specified, to re-distribute articles from this newsletter to other parties provided you do so strictly for non-commercial purposes. Please limit your re-distribution to one or two articles per newsletter; do not re-distribute thenewsletter in its entirety. Also, please include the following words with any articles you re-distribute:
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