Hi,

My name is Julian Edward Gude and this web site is a place for The Gude Family and their relatives to post their family stories, history, pictures, information and questions. We hope that members of all families related to the Gude's will add their family information so that we can better understand how our families and history intertwined over the years. Likewise, we hope that researchers find useful information here and can post questions and information that they have.

The tool we are using is called a Wiki and will allow anyone who registers as a user to change information seen on these pages (including this one) and post new information. In short, WE are equally responsible for what goes on here. Every time a person updates a page, a copy of the older version is saved, just in case you do something you didn't intend to do.

Wikis are particularly good for collaborating online - at least they're supposed to be. Do you know the reference site Wikipedia? That's the largest and most successful wiki on the web. Given that our memories are both selective and constrained by both what we remember and what we've been told and what's left of our brain matter (wink) we should try to refrain from deleting other family member's stories or information unless we have factual points that we have to base our correction on. For example, if one of us 'remembers' when someone was born, but another family member has a birth certificate, we should record the factual birth date from the birth certificate in our records. I'd suggest that we also add to each other's records so that we can both corroborate, expand upon, and capture any differing points of view openly and honestly.

So, sign up to be a user and start posting your information and questions. Our host, Wetpaint doesn't charge for this service and it uses the latest technology to make collaborating and learning from each other on the web a Gude thing.

I'd like to acknowledge our other founding members my cousin, Jeanne (Gude) Taysom, my Aunt Patricia (Carol Gude) Spielberg, and my father Lorenz James Gude.

Julian E. Gude
Co-Founder and Host
Born Chicago 1969

P.S. Hopefully I'll be able to further customize the look of this page once Wetpaint allows that (they're a very new wiki service at this point). For now, how do you like the look of the site? There are many differeny looks to choose from but this one was the only one that was somewhat relevant to a journal of memories. In any event, give me your feedback and I'll try some other templates out and get your feedback on those as well.

P.P.S.
Need some help getting started with how to use our site? Look in the top right corner of this web page and look for the link titled "Wetpaint Assistant." Click on this and take the tour. Then use this same online help section to answer your more specific questions.