Diana, Thanks, yes I understand your "modus operandi"! Having looked at the "offending" page (http://freebmd.rootsweb.com/Certificates.html) it is certainly rather sparse in the way of advice! It also does not cover getting certificates from local offices. There have been a number of discussions about certificates (e.g. whether they are original or not) and it would be good to give some better advice. All we need is someone to summarise what has been discussed! Any volunteers out there?! Barrie > -----Original Message----- > From: Ray & Diana Nadeau [mailto:[email protected]] > Sent: 18 September 2001 22:56 > Cc: [email protected] > Subject: Re: Uncertain information on FreeBMD > > > Hi Barrie > > Does this make more sense? > > I have access to the BMD indexes at a local family history > centre, but I find > FreeBMD much, much easier and faster to use, especially when > I don't know the > exact date of an event. It can take hours of looking through > fiche, and only > seconds on the computer. Marriages are almost impossible to > find if you don't > know both partners, but FreeBMD can help there. Probably > many people don't > have access to the indexes, and they could use the > information in b) -- ask for > a search if reference is inaccurate -- to avoid paying the charge. > > Diana > > Archer Barrie wrote: > > > I don't understand "check back with original source" or > your point a). If > > people have found a reference from a search on FreeBMD they > don't have > > access to the original source - at least not unless we > implement references > > to the scans. > > > > Am I missing something? > > > > Barrie > > > > ______________________________ >

I think the key point is the trade-off of accuracy vs cost. I've pointed this out to a couple of people who have contacted me directly. If you find an entry in FreeBMD that hasn't been checked you have two choices: 1. Pay and order the certificate and risk losing your money 2. Visit your library etc to double check the entry yourself, then order the certificate. Step 2 has less risk. But then in some parts of the world the cost of travelling to the "library etc" might be more than the cost of the wasted money on the certificate. I think we just need to make it clearer that following up on an unchecked entry has more risk and then let people decide for themselves. Explain it in terms of money and most people will see the point immediately! And of course they would never have found the entry without FreeBMD in the first place. Nick