Getting a bit bamboozled...

[Leona5329]

I have had my DNA tested on Ancestry, got my results, found a couple of cousins and shared my results on GEDmatch as Peter suggested.
I have now been contacted by a known cousin who has done his on Living DNA and asks if my kit has been 'tokenised' as trying to match our two kits to compare didn't work. Don't know what he means!
I also see there is something called Genesis Beta for 10 dollars a month on GEDmatch. Any advice or reviews about this? (I am in UK!)
Also he has given me access to his Living DNA and it seems to have more detail in the info about haplogroups, etc. Is it worth doing another DNA test with Living DNA?
Advice welcomed!

 

[peter]

I have had my DNA tested on Ancestry, got my results, found a couple of cousins and shared my results on GEDmatch as Peter suggested.

I'm not currently recommending GEDmatch in my newsletter as it's too complex for those who have only just got into DNA testing. But it is the easiest way to compare results from different sites.

I have now been contacted by a known cousin who has done his on Living DNA and asks if my kit has been 'tokenised' as trying to match our two kits to compare didn't work. Don't know what he means!
I also see there is something called Genesis Beta for 10 dollars a month on GEDmatch. Any advice or reviews about this? (I am in UK!)

Last time I checked you could only upload Living DNA results to GEDmatch using Genesis Beta. I can't remember whether it is necessary to subscribe, and it isn't clear from the website - but you do have to pay to access the Tier 1 utilities. I subscribe a month at a time

Also he has given me access to his Living DNA and it seems to have more detail in the info about haplogroups, etc. Is it worth doing another DNA test with Living DNA?
Advice welcomed!

It's not worth testing with Living DNA unless you are British and want to get a more detailed breakdown of your ancestors' ethnicity than other sites offer. Haplogroups only tell you about two lines in your tree, and what they tell you isn't likely to be of genealogical value.

 

[Leona5329]

I'm not currently recommending GEDmatch in my newsletter as it's too complex for those who have only just got into DNA testing. But it is the easiest way to compare results from different sites.

Last time I checked you could only upload Living DNA results to GEDmatch using Genesis Beta. I can't remember whether it is necessary to subscribe, and it isn't clear from the website - but you do have to pay to access the Tier 1 utilities. I subscribe a month at a time

It's not worth testing with Living DNA unless you are British and want to get a more detailed breakdown of your ancestors' ethnicity than other sites offer. Haplogroups only tell you about two lines in your tree, and what they tell you isn't likely to be of genealogical value.

Thanks for the advice Peter.

 

[CarolB08]

Feeling a little bit like a rabbit in the headlights at the moment, my latest question is do I download a copy of my raw data to my computer or not?

I'm not currently recommending GEDmatch in my newsletter as it's too complex for those who have only just got into DNA testing. But it is the easiest way to compare results from different sites.

I have heard of GEDmatch but do not have a clue how it works or what the benefits might be to me or even how to do it. So that is for the future but is there a post about the web site somewhere on the forum I have missed?

 

[Rhian]

It is always useful to have your own copy of your own data, sites do disappear occasionally, not so likely with a good earner like Ancestry, but still. You will need you raw data if/when you expand your research to other sites and having it now will make the process simpler then.

 

[peter]

I agree - relying on a website as the only repository of your DNA data is like relying on an online tree and having no downloaded copy on your own computer.

Ancestry quite rightly warn you that once you download your data you are taking responsibility for it. If you upload it to a site that later proves to be insecure, or some sort of scam - or gets taken over by a company with a different ethical mindset - who knows where it might end up. There's also the risk that your own computer is hacked, though if you have a top notch security program (I use Kaspersky) and don't allow other people to use it, the risk is very small.

But as I pointed out in a recent newsletter article, our family trees are more of a risk to privacy than our DNA. Anyone can get hold of a DNA sample and have it tested just by following someone around, but unless you post your family tree online it's very difficult for somebody else to reproduce. If you're prepared to keep your family tree on your computer, then why not keep your DNA results there? You can always keep them in a password protected ZIP file for additional security.

 

[CarolB08]

Thank you for the help and advice, I have asked them to be downloaded to my email this morning and will keep them very safe.