Independent Reviews and Evaluations of the “In Search of Our Acadian Roots” and “Acadian-Cajun Family Trees” CD-ROM’s.
There have been numerous “independent” (and unsolicited) reviews/evaluations relative the “In Search of Our Acadian Roots” and “Aacadian-Cajun Family Trees” CD’s, which have been published in various genealogical publications.
If you, or someone you know, has published similar “reviews/evaluations” on the Acadian CD’s, I would greatly appreciate receiving a copy, which I will be pleased to post on my web site.
Comments received on the Acadian Genealogy CD-ROM
Some of the following “comments” have been edited, usually to shorten their length.
FROM JACK DE BOER OF THUNDER BAY, ONTARIO
Dear Yvon,
I owe you an apology! Many months ago I bought your CD. But I could not import any of the GEDCOMs into my program, “Family Tree Maker” I had bought the program especially for that purpose. Until then I had not used a computer program because I prefer seeing the entire file, not one screen at a time. I make my charts with Word Perfect.
Then earlier this week I mentioned my problem to a lady I correspond with. She wanted to send me a GEDCOM. When I told her that I had trouble importing them, she mentioned that she too had bought Family Tree Maker and it has a special GEDCOM program of its own. She had therefore gone back to her Family Origins program. When I learned about it I too bought Family Origins and am having a great time looking at your GEDCOMs. It is not even necessary to first transfer them to the hard drive. Family Origins reads them right from the CD.
You may want to keep that in mind if someone else has troubles like I did. The CD is too expensive to use as a coaster for a flower pot.
Best wishes with the anticipated second CD.
Jack de Boer
Click here for details on the “Acadian-Cajun Family Genealogy” CD-ROMs
FROM: FATHER RICHARD MACDONOUGH OF CAMARILLO, CALIFORNIA.
Hi Yvon: Your CD arrived over a month ago now. It was extremely useful and, except for one “dead end” in the GAUDET line (which I resolved through the Internet), it enabled me to trace ALL my Acadian (and even my one Canadian line: PERRON) back to France. I am thrilled! As you yourself said, the SEARCH system is a bit awkward. However, in spite of that, I was able to complete all the lines with a few missing details. Also I loved the “library” of shareware and the bibliography. Congratulations on a job well done. I have recommended the CD to several. Thanks for the interest and the CD. It was surely worth the $49. Once I get my GEDCOM complete (perhaps in a year), I’ll be happy to share a copy with you.
Best regards,
Rev. Richard MacDonough
A Second message from Father MacDonough:
Yvon: I must tell you that I am STILL using and consulting your “In Search of Our Acadian Roots” CD-ROM and have found every single one of my Acadian-Canadian ancestors on this CD, even those in “La Beauce” and other non-Acadian parts. I have not completed all the lines to France, but I’m almost there, mostly thanks to your CD, with a little help from the Mormons and a contact I got from the Internet. That help was simply to make the connections. Actually, ALL the names from the mid 19th century back, are there on your CD. Thanks so much. I’m looking forward to participating in your second Acadian CD, if it ever comes off. Keep up the good work. Sincerely, Fr. MacDonough.
FROM: ROGER LUCAS OF NEWPORT, VERMONT.
Dear Yvon; I received the CD-ROM and thanks to your work in putting together the information available on the CD, I was able to trace one line on my Wife’s side of the family, (Kirouac line) back to 1644 and was able to find 6 generations back for her. This took it back to France. I was also able to find the information I had been searching for approx. 2 years on the Thibodeau line of my Great Grand-Mother and was able to located the information I needed to tie it together and more. The Thibodeau line took me back to Pierre Thibodeau as I had believed it would and the CD confirmed it. I was also able to tie in the Cyr line. Knowing that my Great Great Grand-Mother was Marie Cyr who was married to Olivier Thibodeau, I found where Marie was the daughter of Jean Sire (Cyr) and was able to go back again to the very beginning of the first Sire. So, I guess we are very distantly related. It has been very exciting it working with the CD and the tons of information it gave me to finish my 2 year project. I will be sending to you in the very near future a finished copy of my GEDCOM file and also one of my wife’s line. Again, I can’t thank you enough for the work you have done in putting the CD together. The CD is very well worth it’s weight in gold for what it can offer to those out there looking for information on their Arcadia/Canadian Roots.
Best wishes to you Yvon and to your family for the New Year ahead.
Roger Lucas
Newport, Vermont
PS: The GEDCOMS I found my information on was on the D-Warre1 file and then of course, what information I gathered from that one, I found additional information that matched against your file and my wife’s file matched against the R-Burton file.
FROM KENNETH W. SMITH OF COLLINSVILLE, ILLINOIS
Yvon: I hope all is going well for you. After reading the samples of your “In Search of Our Acadian Roots” CD-ROM on the Internet, I’m excited already! Enclosed is my check for your CD, which my instincts tell me, will probably be the wisest $49.00 I have ever spent!
From one person to another, thank you, in advance. Precious few persons, today, have: 1) Vision, 2) A passion for life, and 3) Knowledge that their unselfish efforts are for the common good. You have all these qualities.
I sincerely hope that those who purchase your CD, not just extract information, but realize what a “Labour of Love” producing this CD was. Through your “moral leadership” and those you have inspired to aid in this project, others might learn to not just perform genealogical research on a personal basis, but focus also on helping others with a heart as big as yours.
Sincerely, Ken
FROM; RICH BERGERON OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA
What your CD-ROM did….
Yvon,
First, let me say how pleased I am that your surgery went well. I hope you expect a full recovery. I guess a good man is hard to keep down, eh?
Now, my story. A while ago a cousin of mine (who I had not seen in 40 years) wrote an autobiography for her kids to read. I got a copy of it from my stepmother, and re-established contact with my cousin. Her writing included lots of information I never knew about my grandparents and aunts & uncles. We finally visited her over the July 4 weekend.
While there she went through a pile of notes she had, and I first learned that my grandfather Jules had a brother named Octave, who had a son named Donat. They stayed in Canada when Grandpa Jules came to the US. When I got back to work, I sent out a message on GEN-FR, asking if anyone could help me with information. I was hoping to get one more generation out of this.
A day later I got a message from a Remi Ferland, who teaches literature at Laval University. He also does genealogical work on his family, and went to the office at the university that holds their Quebec archives. In the census index there he immediately found some data (knowing Octave’s son’s name served as a check that these were the people I needed to find) and sent it to me – the names of Octave’s and Jules’ parents and grandparents.
Then a week ago Monday, Remi sent another message. This one included two more generations back, including a Michel Bergeron and wife Madeleine Bourg. I had a feeling I had seen their names before, so I checked some of the family trees I had derived from your Acadian CD-ROM that I had bought. It turned out that Michel was the grandson of Barthelemy Bergeron dit D’Amboise (who was the one that came from France), and that the ancestral data went back an additional 5 generations – all the way to a person born in 1515! When I made the connection I let out such a whoop of joy, I’m sure my co-workers thought I was crazy.
Thank you for all you went through which allows us to have such a massive amount of data. Between your CD-ROM and a copy of Adrien Bergeron’s (a distant cousin of mine, it seems) “Le grand arrangement…” which I hope to get soon, I should be able to trace back all of my Acadian heritage. The Internet and your product made this possible.
I just thought you’d like to hear my success story. So pleased to hear you’re getting better. Seems like prayers do get answered…. Rich
FROM: DONALD LUNDRY OF WAYNE, NEW JERSEY.
Got it last week, and spent the weekend looking at it. (Neglecting my family, I might add) There is an amazing amount of information stacked on it! The shareware collection alone is fantastic. So far, I’ve only scratched the surface of it, but it looks like a very well thought-out piece of work. The work that you put into it is certainly appreciated. Don Lundry
FROM: GABRIELLE VIENNEAU OF BATHURST, NEW BRUNSWICK.
Dear Yvon: I found out how to print what I want in “Brother’s Keeper”, just after I sent you my last E-mail. We just explored your C.D. tonight, and I see there is a lot of material there! I explored your “Home Page” and followed your advice by looking up the name variations. I downloaded for the first time. I took everything I saw. Here are my comments: Wow! Wow! I am impressed! I am beginning to feel more at ease with the WWW, and it is fun! You have so much interesting material! I wish to thank you once more for all your beautiful work. You have a wonderful way of making your mark in our history and in our hearts. You are helping our descendants to remember, be proud and cherish their ancestors and carry their names with dignity. Thank you! Gaby
FROM: RICK PAGGEOT OF WHITEHALL, MICHIGAN.
I now have used the CD for a few days and find it to be fantastic! It will be a valuable tool for me to use in my family search for years. As a Mac user I can’t use everything included but am getting everything I need. Word 5.1 views all the text files fine. Reunion 4.0 for Mac imports all the GedComs with no problem. I have Soft PC to use the Ms- Dos programs but it’s so slow it’s not worth it. Now that your a legend around the Genealogy Nets we expect you to *Not* “ROLL OVER AND PLAY DEAD” – – – NO WAY! Wishing you all the best! Rick Paggeot
FROM: MARIAN CHAMPAGNE OF HOUSTON, TEXAS
Dear Yvon. It’s taken me quite a while to be able to respond after receiving my CD. It’s fantastic, though I haven’t had much time to work with it, and I’m not quite sure how to do everything that I think must be possible to do. Now that school is out, I hope to play with it and make it a really useful tool to broaden my genealogy database. There is one thing though, I notice that my e-mail address on the disk is incorrect. I don’t know if it is possible to change the information on the CD but I thought perhaps it would be possible to change the information on the Homepage. I have two addresses where I might be [email protected] or [email protected]. Thanks again for the great job on the CD. Best wishes for you and your family. I am praying that your surgery is successful and you’ll be back with us all on the computer and in research. Sincerely, Marian Champagne
FROM: ALAN J. MACDONALD OF OTTAWA, ONTARIO
Success!!!!! It arrived at my office today. Wow. I’m duly impressed. I’ve only briefly looked through the disk but I can see there’s lots of great information there. It’s somewhat of a bonus that a lot of the GEDCOMs and text were done in English. My French is not all that great (even though my mother managed a Caisse Populaire French was never spoken in the home). If you do plan a second volume I’ll be very willing to contribute my GEDCOM as well as a few others that I have. All in all, the disk is good effort (I gather a BIG effort on your part). Part of the fun of genealogy is the hunting for new info and your disk certainly provides that. Alan
FROM: DANNY STEVENS OF BREMERTON, WA
– Yvon. Hope everything is going well with you and yours! I have examined the CD, yet I haven’t covered a lot of ground. It is packed full and will take a many sessions to cover a large portion. So far though, I have found one lead that although weak may eventually link with my ancestors. I am currently looking through the GEDCOM files one by one. The search turned up no matches, but then again my information is sketchy and could differ from that of other researchers. The project is all that you claimed it would be, and will provide hours, days and probably more accurate a lifetime of sources to check. The only problem would be when people change addresses (for whatever reason), yet it will still be a very valuable resource tool. If I haven’t stated this before, thank you for you time, effort and resources you used to preserve and distribute this rich resource of information on our Acadian Roots. Your Cousin, Danny
FROM: HUBERT POTVIN OF LAVAL, QUEBEC.
Yvon: Let me tell you that your Home Page on Acadian is wonderful, well made. Congratulations. The whole project that you have dreamed of and brought to an end is extraordinary. In French we say “Je lève mon chapeau” for this marvelous success. I would like to participate in this huge project of yours, but I just discovered about it last week, having joined the Internet only a month or so ago. I will take a moment to wish you a prompt recovery following your surgery on June 26th 1995, and I know you will, due to your strong moral detected in your writing. Bonne chance. Hubert Potvin.
FROM: THEODORE J.THERRIEN of SUDBURY, ONTARIO.
Hi Yvon;
Just a few word to let you know that I have made good use of the CD that I purchased from you. My database has 60,250 names in it, and 27,800 marriages Ps: a few came from your CD.
If you encounter anyone looking for information on Therrien, Therien, Terrien, Launder, Pharmer, Farmer and Taylor please let me know. We are planning a large family reunion August 10, 1996 on the Laurentian University Campus, and we would be pleased if you help spread the word. Re: Taylor; Jack Taylor who contributed to your CD is a descendant of Pierre Therrien and Gabrielle Mignot also. Theodore J. Therrien
FROM: EDWARD/CONNIE BERRY OF BOTHELL, WA.
I received the Acadian CD-ROM this morning and have been having a great time learning the software and experimenting with its many features. Yvon, your CD-ROM project is very impressive, from the packaging itself (the artwork), to the extremely “user friendly” software. You deserve an award for “a job well done.” I am looking forward to many many hours of enjoyment. I have been thinking about you the last couple of days. I pray your heart surgery was a complete success and that you will soon be back on the net. I wish you a speedy recovery and look forward to future correspondence. :-> Cousine Corinne/Connie
FROM GREG CYR OF STERLING, VIRGINIA.
Received your Acadian Roots CD-ROM today, 2/14 @1445. I just briefly tried out the menu selections and read through some of your, and the project, history. My first impression — EXCELLENT!! OUTSTANDING!!! TERRIFIC!!! This is a very great looking CD-ROM, with nice professional artwork and search program. I even noticed my name mentioned a few times, along with my own special copy of the merged databases. It doesn’t get any better than this!! It was a pleasure to have contributed a small part this CD-ROM and I thank you immensely for undertaking the project. It may be a while before I get to use this useful information, but it certainly will be extremely useful when I get a “round to it”… — have you ever seen one of those things — a roundtoit?? Hope everything is going all right for you today. TTYL, Greg
TO: JOE CROCHET OF TAMPA, FLORIDA. FROM: MIKE TALBOT OF METAIRIE, LA.
Yvon’s CD arrived today. It will take a while to evaluate it. It’s a monster. Unexpected bonus, it contains lots of shareware software. Yvon’s CD is definitely not the same as that sold by GPC (GPC still not arrived). GPC-CD will come with the user friendly GRS support software. Yvon’s software is not GRS, nor user friendly. In defense of Yvon, I was not expecting support software at time of order, so what is there is a bonus. If you don’t mind creating a subset GEDCOM for every search, Yvon’s software is nice, indeed. Mike. PS: Yvon should be in surgery today, let’s all pray for him.
TO: MIKE TALBOT OF METAIRIE, LA. FROM: JOE CROCHET OF TAMPA, FLORIDA.
Happy days!! Two things in one day – just can’t stand prosperity. I got your package today and also Yvon Cyr’s CD Rom. I had just about given up on Yvon but, I can understand when you have something hanging over your head like he had – and I sincerely hope everything turned out okay – I could think very little of genealogy. In fact, genealogy wouldn’t cross my mind at all. I haven’t had a chance to look at Yvon’s CD Rom yet. Too much volunteering lately. Tomorrow should be a good day for trying out that CD. Oh yes, I guess the mail goes faster going directly south than going southeast – you people in New Orleans received your CD’s at least two days faster that we folks in Florida. I guess you get less mail- resistance going directly south 😉 Joe Crochet
FROM: DENIS BEAUREGARD OF STE-JULIE, QUEBEC.
“J’ai reçu moi aussi le CD-ROM et j’ai resumé le contenu dans FM- Genealogie et les autres groupes qui y sont connectés. Beau travail, bravo! J’en ai parlé a certains généalogistes et je suis sur que tu vas recevoir d’autres commandes de CD-ROM de la région de Montreal. Denis.”
FROM: GORDON PIERCE OF BEAUPORT, QUEBEC.
Thank you Yvon, my copy has also arrived in Quebec City, and I have started using it with the group of students who have been researching their family histories after school… the real plus for me was the .MAT files; I could have spent years doing that, by the “look until you find it” method (otherwise known as a Columbus search!) I hope your surgical days will end with little pain or added delay. Good luck and thank you. Gordon Pierce.
FROM: RON BELANGER OF SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA.
Received the CDROM. It is an impressive package. I had expected the huge amount of data, but the historical notes and shareware which you included were a definite bonus! Thank you for a job well done. Good luck with your coming surgery. Ron Belanger.