Lita, Yes, they will have to do without my money too, but I will continue to share anything I have with anybody who I think I might be of help to. Hopefully they won't be selling it, but I don't care if they share it with other researchers. I know it starts getting irritating when you know the same information is available from other sources for free. We just need to continue to let others know where these sources are. That's one of the things I think is so great about the Bowers family. Most are very willing to share what they find with other family researchers. I have met some really great people through the forums. Some were related in one way or another, some were not. Some I would never have been in contact with if it weren't for the message forums. Let's hope that these forums will continue to be free to all. I too, am worried about the direction it seems some things are going, and we all need to help. I think it is especially important to help those who are just getting started in their searches, to find those sources that are free, instead of thinking the info is not available unless they pay for it. It is also irritating when you go to a source and it looks like it is free, but all they are doing is advertising for something they have for sale. I for one, feel as if I have wasted valuable time that could have been put to better use elsewhere. Hope you didn't think I was sticking up for these practices. I was just trying to point out what their thinking might be as to why they feel it is necessary to charge for their service. I have noticed in some cases, even though they charge for some of their info, that they sometimes point out that you can also get this information from another source that does not charge for it. Anyhow, I hope we can all keep sharing. As Coleen always says, "FAMILY IS WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT." Diana

I have received the messages about Family Treemaker selling information on at least 4 of the mail lists I belong to. What in the world are you people so riled up about? I have used Family Treemaker for several years and they have made no bones about the fact that information that is submitted to them will be included on CD's and such. I consider that I am paying for the convenience of being able to easily locate what I am looking for, their time in indexing everything and such. I do not feel I am paying for information. At no time have they misrepresented anything. I work full time, have a serious illness, and am involved in other groups in my community. I don't have unlimited time to search for hours to find information that Family Treemaker or other sites have located and can guide me to in a few minutes. As for incorrect information---- Anyone who has done genealogy for more than an hour knows that everyones data base has some flaws in it. I have found flaws in information submitted to the Daughters of the American Revolution as well as information that I have recerived directly from another researcher. I have received corrections to my data base from others that I have shared it with and consider they are doing me a favor by calling it to my attention. If you choose not to do business with Family Treemaker then don't but please stop this unfair campaign. I heard nothing in the postings that I did not receive directly from Family Treemaker themselves. Roberta Wunder