Some computer programs are not compatible with others and make it difficult to transfer information. In Lotus, Excel, Word, WordPerfect and other spreadsheet or word processing programs, you can also create columns and then sort by a specific column if you don't want to buy one of the many commercial programs on the market. The Internet is a valuable resource for the beginning genealogist as well as the expert genealogist. Once you get started and know which direction you are heading, you will find your computer and the Internet will help you research your family tree. The first thing you need to do, before you start your research is collect all the items that your family has that pertain to your family history.
Genealogists rely on official records for proof of information to document our past.
Contact living relatives and get names, dates, places, and relationships they know. A very detailed list of things to look for is found here . Then talk to all the older people in your family asking them about what they remember. Some sample questions to ask them are here . You can learn many things by talking to your relatives.