Hi Barry There may be many reasons but I suspect the main one is that many start researching, find or copy some data and then lose interest or fall ill or worse Unless the tree owner removes their tree it will remain on there So many people have trees on Ancestry but have ceased to use it or moved on to other pursuits, lost their email accounts etc Unfortunately there are those that copy data from other trees but do not actually research it fully so mistakes are legion I suspect any serious researchers who are still on Ancestry would reply When I find errors I usually send a message informing the tree holder or asking a question as to why they think that particular person is linked, I rarely get a reply (and I mean rarely) If you know there is a particular error and the tree owner does not reply you can always add a note to that person with the correct data Synching a tree FTM to Ancestry is an entirely separate subject of course, the benefits are not having to key in data twice or the need to uplift a gedcom and knowing that a synched tree can be accessed away from home and the data is the same as the home computer You don't have to give access to your tree on Ancestry but you can access wherever you are Nivard Ovington in Cornwall (UK) On 02/02/2014 21:06, Barry S. Finkel wrote: > I have seen lots of posts concerning syncing FTM trees with > ancestry.com online trees. I am wondering why people want their > trees online. The reason I ask is this - in my research I have found > trees online on ancestry.com that contain pieces of my and my brother's > tree. When I find a tree, I send ancestry mail to the tree owner asking > him/her to contact me so that we can compare our trees and exchange > information. Most of the time I get no replies, and I have no idea why. > I thought that the reason for putting a tree online was to elicit more > information from people who see tree online. > > Do these people not trust me and think that I an on a phishing > expedition? I do not know the tree authors, and they do not know me. > But our trees have persons in common. Thanks. > > --Barry Finkel, Chicago

I have learned that you get few answers to that kind of question. However, I have found I get more answers if I write stating: "I note you have our (James John Jones) in your tree and am wondering how you are connected". Annie in Minnesota I have seen lots of posts concerning syncing FTM trees with > ancestry.com online trees. I am wondering why people want their > trees online. The reason I ask is this - in my research I have found > trees online on ancestry.com that contain pieces of my and my brother's > tree. When I find a tree, I send ancestry mail to the tree owner asking > him/her to contact me so that we can compare our trees and exchange > information. Most of the time I get no replies, and I have no idea why. > I thought that the reason for putting a tree online was to elicit more > information from people who see tree online. > > Do these people not trust me and think that I an on a phishing > expedition? I do not know the tree authors, and they do not know me. > But our trees have persons in common. Thanks. > > --Barry Finkel, Chicago