I just finished reading the web page on http://www.rootsweb.com/~vaaugust/cook.htm about the plusses and minuses of Internet genealogy. There are some good suggestions within the "scolding of the users of the Internet for genealogy". But like a lot of information today, one must kiss a lot of frogs to find the prince that fills in your one missing branch. I am not new to genealogy, but I find the net a new tool by which to maximize the accuracy of my information. It reminds me of many years ago when I started to work for a large electric utility. The "old timers" who had worked there for 20+ years never stopped carping about how hard it was in the "old" days and that we youngsters didn't know what it was to "work" for a living. None of them ever tried to update their knowledge base, because the old way was the best, no new "fangled" ideas would work. Sadly, they gradually faded away as technology replaced them. One thing for sure, the writer is correct, there are many capable people on the net who are willing to take the time to be helpful to those who didn't cut their teeth the "old fashioned way", BTI. I do not tout the use of the net as a sole source, I believe that a blend of the Internet and hallways of assessor's offices, microfilm squint and deciphering family bibles are all important in the documentation process. The tone of the message I read was quite negative, certainly not in an encouraging manner. I owe a number of people on the Internet a lot of thanks for helping me fill in some blanks on my still half full (or empty) family tree. Thanks again to all of you. Searching: ANDERSON, BIGSBY, CAVANAUGH, CRAMER, CUMMINGS, GASTON, HYER, LITTLE, NILES, POTTER, VINCENT, WOOD Richard Wood Tucson, AZ pawood@azstarnet.com N32-16'-53.5" W111-04'-22.5" http://www.azstarnet.com/~pawood There is no king who has not had a slave among his ancestors, and no slave who has not had a king among his. Helen Keller