Hi Garry, Yo uare not subbed to the discuss list, in case you didn't realise... Kiwiz Syndicate wrote: > > Ancestry claim EXCLUSIVE rights on their website page, do they have this?. The only > way I can see them having it is, if they own FreeBMD, or the team is now part of > Ancestry?. > http://www.ancestry.com/library/view/news/articles/4741.asp > They do NOT have exclusive rigts to FreeBMD and I don't believe they are saying so on their site .. their collection may be exclusive, but FreeBMD is not. They sponsor us and that is all. They have no control over the project at all. > They are blatantly exploiting the FreeBMD data for money!. I'm not happy working on > this project to help them!. The main objection I have with Ancestry is they are > racing around with bottomless pockets buying up any Genealogical resource they can > get their hands on and then charge to access it. We would not have got the project this far without their sponsorship ... its one of those things we have to bear or not do projects like this, unfortunately. They are commercial, but they are not allowed to sell out records and they are not. > This is anti to the whole philosophy > of why I help Freebmd, they want to charge to the max for everything, I want it free. Unfortunately, its not gonna be possible to get them all for free :( even the PRO sites will charge. We are doing what we can but we would be blind to ignore commercial organisations for sponsorships. > It's frustrating going to their site and seeing all the NEW databases they have > bought!!. Once they have them the only way you'll see them is to pay. That's what > EXCLUSIVE means. No, the exclusive in a lot of theirs would be the format .. thay may have exclusive access for Pallots on the Web, for example, but I am sure it will continue to be available via the SOG as it has always been .... Parish registers will continue to be available via record offices and FreeREG can continue .. > The simple fix: They should state on every page mentioning the FreeBMD data that it > is provided by FreeBMD and available FREE. They do give us the credit .. and it is Free ... and has to remain that way ... Cheers Graham > > Garry > KIWIZ Syndicate Co-ordinator