It seems like a rather innocuous question. You just want to know what kind of genealogist someone else is. What research methods does that person prefer? How long have they been working on genealogy? Unfortunately, it seems that this simple question can lead to a lot of controversy!
Obviously the question : “What kind of a genealogist are you?” can be taken as an insult, or even a threat. Someone could think that you are questioning their ability to do genealogy, or are trying to say that they are doing it wrong. This might lead to unnecessary conflict between you, and other members of your genealogy group. In reality, you might simply be wondering if they are a traditional genealogist, or if they are an internet-only genealogist. What is the difference between the two types of genealogists? It is mainly in the way they have decided to do their genealogy research. A traditional genealogist is someone who uses actual, physical, resources. These are the people who prefer to visit courthouses, the buildings that have rooms full of archives, and the microfiche sections of their local libraries. These are the genealogists who “haunt” graveyards and cemeteries, looking for physical documentation of the birthdays and days of death of their ancestors. Many of these genealogists started their hobby before the internet made information so readily available.
Internet-only genealogists do most of their research from their own home computers. These are the genealogists who make use of websites like FamilyTree.com or Ancestry.com, and obtain most of their research from websites such as these. Instead of visiting a graveyard in person, internet-only genealogists prefer to search through websites like FindAGrave, where photographs of tombstones can be found. These are the genealogists that are using Facebook to keep in touch with living family members, and also to locate long lost family members.
Which is better? That depends on your own personal preference. Many genealogists use a mix of the traditional and the internet-only styles of research. It has been argued that you cannot rely entirely on just one method, and expect to find absolutely all of the records that you are seeking.
Image by Ted Sakshaug on Flickr