Just curious - has anyone done the DNA testing thing? My dad wants
to do it and I'm trying make sure I make the best decision for him
on where to go.
Family Tree DNA has a group that has been doing the WOOD surname
for 4 years with almost 200 participates. But I see Ancestry is in
this game now - but I don't see how they group results. (The image
of the reports they provide look awful nice though!)
Just curious if anyone out there had any advice.
I've had quite a bit of experience with Family Tree DNA, am
participating in projects for several different surnames (via male
relatives that I've been able to persuade to provide samples) and am
group administrator for the HOLDER project. I've been very satisfied
with this company in all respects.
I'm also subbed to the GENEALOGY-DNA list and there's been a lot of
discussion there about the Ancestry project. The consensus seems to
be that they don't quite have their act together yet.
Another reason for going with FTDNA is that they already have a large
database of samples, and many surname projects under way. The
markers they test and the order in which they report the results has
become the standard for the surname projects, to the extent that
someone being tested by a different company may find it difficult to
make the comparisons directly. (Some project administrators are much
more helpful than others in assisting you with this.)
I'll be happy to talk with you about this privately - or anyone else
who needs basic information on testing or on DNA in general. (In my
"other" life I'm a biologist).
--
Elizabeth Harris
ncgen(a)mindspring.com
Personal genealogy webpage:
http://www.duke.edu/web/chlamy
Winston-Salem NC area genealogy:
http://www.fmoran.com/
HOLDER DNA project:
http://www.mindspring.com/~holderdna/