RootsTech 2014
Check out this carpet!
This conference was truly amazing! Everything was handled with exact precision and the technology was fun. When you registered you stood in a short line and as you approached the person signing you in. You typed your name into the computer and up popped all your information so they could print your badge in an instant and give you all your materials and off you went. Very efficient, smooth and lightening quick. They gave you a booklet with the 160 classes being offered and had a bank of computers to print out any syllabus you wanted in advance at no charge or you could download them all on the Rootstech site at your convenience.
They anticipated 10,000 people and planned accordingly. I never did hear for sure the number of registered attendees and heard everything from 8, 000 to 14,000. Saturday was a special day for youth and one day attendees and there were 4,000 teens there in addition to everyone else.
Everything was spacious and spread out so that it never felt crowded to the point of being annoying. There were just enough people to heightening the excitement and electricity in the large and spacious Salt Palace venue. When there were long lines for food it was handled with speed and people moved quickly through them. You also had the option of a catered sit down luncheon every day or you could bring your own. I brought my own lunch two of the three days and then went to a concession stand one day with only two people in front of me. There were hundred of tables for eating so it was really convenient. They had tables of ice water all over the place so you could grab a quick drink or fill up your own bottles. I encountered no lines even in the restrooms. They made thousands of people comfortable. Impressive. They even had a concert one evening featuring Vocal Point and a lovely dessert reception...all included in the price of the conference. That was so nice because no money had to be exchanged and no lines for that either. Can you say..."Perfect experience in every possible way?" Family Search gets 10 stars on this one.
View of the Exhibit Hall from the second floor.
This is where a lot of the little video spots
that I have included on the YouTube Link
below were recorded.
This is where a lot of the little video spots
that I have included on the YouTube Link
below were recorded.
The Exhibit Hall was nothing short of spectacular.
A genealogist's candy store to be sure!
If I am alive and breathing I will not ever
miss this conference in the future!
And I haven't even mentioned the classes or the keynote speakers each day yet. One thing I particularly loved was that so many bloggers were there and presenting classes.
People like Josh Taylor, Ron Tanner, James Tanner, The Legal Genealogist-Judy Russell presented, and even the Pioneer Woman, Ree Drummond was there and one of the keynote speakers. She is definitely a family historian and a great cook. You can find her at http:// thepioneerwoman.com Some of the best were not there because of various other commitments like Dick Eastman who was recovering from surgery. The variety of topics covered was phenomenal. I just cannot say enough about it. Can you tell I was enthralled with it for three solid days?
They did not leave out the Mac users!
People like Josh Taylor, Ron Tanner, James Tanner, The Legal Genealogist-Judy Russell presented, and even the Pioneer Woman, Ree Drummond was there and one of the keynote speakers. She is definitely a family historian and a great cook. You can find her at http:// thepioneerwoman.com Some of the best were not there because of various other commitments like Dick Eastman who was recovering from surgery. The variety of topics covered was phenomenal. I just cannot say enough about it. Can you tell I was enthralled with it for three solid days?
All of that aside, the very best part was the enthusiasm and the buzz amount all the attendees. It was electrifying. The spirit of family history and families in general was over the top. This is the one thing you cannot pick up by live streaming or a syllabus or someone else's recounting of their experience and the biggest reason I don't want to ever miss it again. Come blizzards or high water...I want to be there.
Here is a place where you can watch a few short segments to hopefully experience a little of that. Note especially the little animated video Family Search made. It is #2 in the line up in this series of shorts. It was shown several times during the conference and at the beginning of each day.
Go to the rootstech.com website to stream the 15 classes that were recorded. (All recorded sessions will be translated into Spanish, Portuguese, French, Italian, German, Russian, Chinese, Japanese, and Korean languages by 1 April 2014 according to the lds.org website.) Rootstech.com keeps a nice archive from previous Rootstech conferences as well.
I particularly liked Josh Taylor's management of online resources. Some people are just beyond amazing in their methodology. Also noteworthy was Ron Tanner's presentation on things coming in the future for Family Tree. And if you are a tablet user check out Lisa Louise Cooke on Becoming and iPad Pro for Your Genealogy.
It was lovely really. These people are my people! If you want to go next year Book A Room at the Shiloh Hotel right across the street from the Salt Palace entrance or the Plaza Hotel by Temple Square soon. Many attendees did this before they left. Or you could convince one of your children to move there just a few blocks away where you could sit by the fire and have this view from the living room window.
I particularly liked Josh Taylor's management of online resources. Some people are just beyond amazing in their methodology. Also noteworthy was Ron Tanner's presentation on things coming in the future for Family Tree. And if you are a tablet user check out Lisa Louise Cooke on Becoming and iPad Pro for Your Genealogy.
It was lovely really. These people are my people! If you want to go next year Book A Room at the Shiloh Hotel right across the street from the Salt Palace entrance or the Plaza Hotel by Temple Square soon. Many attendees did this before they left. Or you could convince one of your children to move there just a few blocks away where you could sit by the fire and have this view from the living room window.
Next Year's Rootstech 2015 ~ February 11-14, 2015.
Just do it!
No comments:
Post a Comment