Award

This award was created because of my disdain for frivolous, amateurish genealogy web sites which offer little substance, but are heavy in (shiver) background music, frilly graphics and other nonessentials. If your site is SERIOUS about genealogical research, then this award is for you. You don’t have to have a “pretty” site, just a site that offers INFORMATION that is easily accessible, presented in a tasteful manner.

APPLYING FOR THIS AWARD

Note: You may or may not agree with the standards on which I judge these sites, but the standards are mine. I award sites which take their genealogical research SERIOUSLY, and not ones which bathe themselves in cutesy graphics and irritating midi files. I am not only an amateur genealogist, but a graphic artist, so the following areas of criteria will be considered as I make my decision:

1. The site MUST be about genealogy and family history. A site consisting of nothing other than a few posted gedcoms or links to other family web sites will not win this award. No matter if you only have one generation worth of research, if you offer it in a professional, tasteful manner, you’ve won my respect.

2. NO foul language, hate oriented material, or pornography either on your site or linked to it. (duh)

3. Music - NONE. ZIP. ZERO. ZILCH. It’s useless, annoying, and it drives researchers away in droves. I do most of my internet genealogical research in my living room while spending time with my family. When your irritating midi rendition of “Amazing Grace” comes blaring from my computer speakers, I’m suddenly VERY unpopular. COME ON, back in 1994, music on web sites was a NEW and IMPRESSIVE thing, now it’s irritating and boorish. So, if you have “music” on your site, I WON’T consider your site.

4. Overall design and concept of your site which includes graphics, layout, ease of navigation, download times, links, content, etc. Spelling and grammar do make a difference to me. Typos aside, get someone to proofread your site. Let me be honest here: cherubs, butterflies and such aren’t genealogy related. Save them for your PERSONAL pages.

5. Make it easy to contact you: in other words, DON’T make users search ALL OVER your site to find your e-mail address. Many sites have been passed up for my award because I simply couldn’t find an e-mail address to send the award to.

6. Take it easy on the motion: Animated .gif’s, waving flags, flickering candles and the like are nice to some, but put one on every line and two on the top of the page and it REALLY makes it HARD to read the text on the page. Remember, K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple Stupid).

7. Award winners shall Link back to my site - information will be provided when the award is presented.

Think your site qualifies using these five criteria? Then please follow the following application instructions.

HOW TO APPLY FOR OHMER SERIOUS ABOUT GENEALOGY AWARD

Thanks for taking time to nominate your site or a site you've discovered that you feel is deserving of my review.

If your site qualifies, I will respond in an e-mail which will contain the award graphic, along with the linking instructions. Once you have posted the graphic, along with the link back to my site (and I have been able to confirm you link back to me), I will include you on my list of Award Recipients along with a link to your site.

If your site does not qualify, there will be no response from me.