In a message dated 5/4/04 9:16:01 AM Pacific Daylight Time, 3howells@bendbroadband.com writes: > Dear friends and list members: > > Some of you may have already received an e-mail from list-moms or listers > regarding ancestry.com's decision to create a new "OneWorldTree" with the > information that we all submitted, and then to charge $49.95 to access the > information. If you have not received the e-mail and would like more > information, you can follow this link > http://www.ancestry.com/search/rectype/trees/owt/ . I did, and found out > that the only information available to me (even from my own tree!), was the > ancestor's name that I originally entered in the "search" box. Family > information was listed, but was "grayed out" with a note stating "Gray text > indicates information available to subscribers only." Well, I already have > a broad-based subscription to ancestry's services, but apparently THIS > subscription is in addition to that one. They have a wonderful discount on > this service to those of us who subscribe already...only $39.95! Lucky us. > This is just another in a string of problems I have had with Ancestry's > services in recent months. I now realize that all of you who dissed > ancestry in the past were correct. Shame on me for not listening sooner. > Also, when taking all of this into consideration, also consider the fact > that many, many of us who submitted trees did so with accidental errors, or > unproven facts....so we're essentially being charged for "misinformation"? > > Tracy Howell > Bend, OR > > P.S. If you wish to delete your submitted information, go to > http://ancestry.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/ancestry.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_ > faqid=1090 for instructions. i wrote to ancestry.com and received this response: Dear Lorraine, We appreciate your message. We regret any confusion this matter may have caused.  User-submitted family trees are free and will remain free through the Ancestry World Tree and the RootsWeb WorldConnect databases.  The One World Tree service is simply an optional tool available for your research.  A subscription to the One World Tree service is not required in order for you to submit a file or for other researchers to search and view the files you submit at no charge through the Ancestry World Tree and the RootsWeb WorldConnect databases. The One World Tree subscription is an advanced search tool that gathers family trees and family history records for millions of people, analyzes the birth, death and marriage data and then displays the most probable matches for your ancestors. This service makes it easier for you to find and verify information pertaining to your family tree. We regret any frustration regarding the prices for Ancestry.com subscriptions.  The extensive scope and nature of our online databases and services require these prices to compensate for Ancestry.com expenses in content acquisition, image scanning, quality control, indexing, web hosting, etc.  Even with our prices, we remain one of the most cost effective subscription based genealogy sites available.  If there is anything else we can assist you with, please let us know. Tiffany Customer Solutions Ancestry.com "Connecting and Strengthening Families through the World Wide Web" Ancestry.com Technical Support: <http://ancestry.custhelp.com>