I hope this is one of the last Admin. messages to the List for a while. I urge you to read this message and then make up your minds about what you would like to do. Those of you who are Listowners/Webmasters at RootsWeb and read the Listowners-L and TEAM-ROOTSWEB-L list messages and/or receive the RootsWeb Review (Genealogical Data Cooperative News; > 240,000 circulation), already know about the recent discussions concerning the future of RootsWeb. Others may be interested to learn something about RootsWeb who provides server space for our Mail List and Web Page. >From its beginning, the RootsWeb Genealogical Data Cooperative, has had the goal of providing free access to genealogical data on the Internet. Not only this, but RW is providing free server space, with limited privileges, to many, many genealogy-related groups, including many of the USGenWeb County Pages, Genealogical organization, etc. For expanded use of their servers, users can subscribe to the Cooperative at various levels from 'Contributor Services' to 'Donor Plus Services' with yearly subscriptions ranging from $12 to $250. Each of these subscription levels provides a range of services; Mail Lists, Web Pages, GenConnect Boards, etc. to the subscriber. Anyone who is not interested in becoming a List owner or a Web master can still contribute to RootsWeb, at any level, just to show their appreciation for what is being offered to the genealogical community. BLANCHARD-L is a Sponsor Plus and our List members <have no obligation to make any addtional contribution to RootsWeb>. I want to emphasize this, so that what follows is not misunderstood. Due to the phenomenal growth of RW, those who appreciate what they are trying to do and who understand that continued growth will only come about from comparable growth in support, will know what needs to happen. Here are a few facts and figures. RootsWeb has ~250,000 users and is probably one of the top 25 most heavily trafficked sites on the Internet. They are currently serving 27,000,000 (yes, 27 million) page views per month. Anyone with Internet access, a modem and the necessary SW can access materials on the RW servers without paying a cent! Yet, only 2-6% of these RW users make any financial contribution to the operation and expansion of RootsWeb. It would take only a modest increase in contributors (to 3-8%), for RW to be able to continue their present growth and only a somewhat larger increase for them to be able to continue to accelerate their services/growth. Here is what the RootsWeb Review, Vol.2, No. 1, 6 January 1999 had to say about recent events in the commercial world of genealogy. [These remarks by Co-editor Myra Vanderpool Gormley tell it much better than I might paraphrase it.] "Recently Mattel, the toy maker (Hot Wheels, Ken and Barbie), announced it would buy The Learning Company, Inc. Earlier in 1998, The Learning Company purchased Mindscape (producer of Family Tree Creator) and Broderbund (producer of Family Tree Maker), and then in December it acquired Palladium Interactive (producer of Ultimate Family Tree). What does this mean to genealogists? It appears Mattel is going to wind up with all the genealogy toys, so to speak - owning the major popular genealogy software programs and the companies that produce most of the genealogy CDs. Additionally, the "Wall Street Journal" in its December 17, 1998, issue announced that CMG Information Services, Inc. will invest $10 million in Ancestry for a 30 percent stake in that company. CMG is betting that genealogy is about to make a big breakthrough on the Web. However, the CMG investors are not talking about helping you find that long-lost ancestor when they refer to a "breakthrough." They mean making money. Where is all this going in 1999? I have as much trouble peering into the future as I do digging up the past, but it appears to me that the costs of computer genealogy (software and CDs) are likely to increase. Moreover the price of admission to many genealogy sources on the Web is probably going to go up. Many surfers are already paying $5 to $10 per month ($60-$120 annually) to have access to various sources of finding aids. Many onliners are discovering their "free" Web space or e-mail account comes with hidden prices -- loaded with ads and their names and e-mail addresses sold to cyber-merchants." . . . . . . . PERMISSION TO REPRINT articles from ROOTSWEB REVIEW is granted unless specifically stated otherwise. Article written by Myra Vanderpool Gormley, CG, Co-editor, RootsWeb Review Previously published by RootsWeb Genealogical Data Cooperative, RootsWeb Review, Vol. 2, No. 1, 6 January 1999. Please visit RootsWeb's main Web page at <http://www.rootsweb.com>. If you have read this far, I think you can understand the situation that is developing. In the past, I have from time to time asked our subscribers to consider a personal contribution to RootsWeb; that is, over and above what has already been given to qualify BLANCHARD-L as a "paid in full" Sponsor Plus. Now, these simple appeals by listowners for their members to support RootsWeb may no longer be adequate so I am making an extra effort to give you some background and keep you informed about what is happening in the Internet Genealogy arena. According to Brian Leverich, co-owner with Karen Isaacson of the RootsWeb Cooperative, RootsWeb is <not going out of business> but in order to honor their pledge to provide "free access" to genealogical material on the Internet, we must find a way for more "users" to become "supporters". Some listowners have suggested that a contribution to RootsWeb could be as little as or as much as a new CD or piece of SW, a membership in a genealogy/history society or a trip to an out-of-town repository. Perhaps the post-holiday season is not the best time to promote support for RootsWeb but since it is the beginning of a new year, maybe you could include it in your budget. This is a decision each of you can make. I urge you to visit these two web sites for more information about RootsWeb and for details about support levels/benefits and payment options. http://rootsweb.com/ http://www.rootsweb.com/rootsweb/how to subscribe.html You can send e-mail to: RW-info@rootsweb.com or mail to their postal address: RootsWeb Genealogical Data Cooperative P.O. 6798 Frazier Park, CA 93222-6798 (Please include your e-mail address on all correspondence and checks). If you have any questions, please direct them to my mailbox and I'll do my best to answer them. Thank you. Fletch Blanchard for BLANCHARD-L, a proud Sponsor of RootsWeb