Technology Special Interest Group - 8 Jan 2026

Technology Special Interest Group - 8 Jan 2026

2026 marks the inaugural year for CAGGNI's new Technology SIG. This SIG will cover topics formerly featured in Internet SIG and expand coverage to a wider spectrum of technology topics. Our first meeting will include a brief overview of the SIG including an open discussion amongst attendees regarding what topics members are most interested in for future meetings.

Topic: Date Complexities in Genealogy presented by Eric Vavra

Historical dates are often viewed as one of the most basic datapoints in genealogy, but there are frequently hidden complexities that are misunderstood or overlooked leading to inaccuracies. While we experience the modern calendar as a static, universal standard that governs our daily lives with absolute precision, the family historian must view time as a shifting landscape where "standard" dates are often a moving target. As genealogists pursue their research, records encountered may reference dates from a myriad of different religious, cultural, and government calendars as well as variances in date formats across regions and eras. While simple math seems logical to compare dates, it may fail to account for the "chronological potholes" created by historical calendar shifts, or the inconsistent start of the new year. We will discuss internet sources for a variety of historical calendars, essential date terminology, and technology tools that can be used to accurately master the chronological chaos and tricky temporal translation.

SIG Leads: John Stryker and Eric Vavra

CAGGNI SIGs are for members only. 

Meeting Style: The Technology SIG is Zoom only. 

For the Zoom Link see caggni.org/Zoom-links. Access to this page requires a CAGGNI member login. Please ensure your full name is visible. You may need to use the Rename function (at the upper right of the window where your face appears) if your full name is not shown.