Good questions, Penny. Let me start by emphasizing that no one is required to move. And as near as I know, there have not been any hacker intrusions into GENWEB sites resident at Rootsweb. I deeply appreciate the great service Rootsweb has provided over the years by allowing GENWEB and other genealogical websites to reside on their servers, and at no cost. That said, let me explain some pros of moving the State pages to a different server. Many of these would also apply to moving county websites. 1 - Elimination of the Ancestry header: Back in 2008 Ancestry, which owns Rootsweb, decided to begin placing a header on most websites at Rootsweb making it clear they were part of ancestry.com and advertising for the commercial services Ancestry offers. I happen to be one of those who subscribe to Ancestry and find it of great value in my research. But I think the headers send a message that is inconsistent with the USGENWEB goal of providing resources for free. It has made some think they were getting the GENWEB resources from ancestry. Some states and counties don't feel the same way and have chosen not to move. 2 - Making additional capabilities available: Rootsweb restricts the available services for those who use their free websites. I'm sure they have good reasons for doing this, but it does prevent their users from many modern facilities that most web hosting providers supply, like databases, scripting like PHP, content management and forum software, etc. These additional services can substantially decrease the maintenance effort for websites, for those coodinators who make use of them. 3 - Accounting information: Rootsweb does not provide any accounting information about what pages are visited and by whom. Most web host providers supply a substantial amount of such information to help the webmasters understand how useful their efforts are. On the con side, someone has to pay for the web space if it is not supplied free by Rootsweb. I am funding the server space for IDGENWEB. Sometime later in the year, I will give others the option to contribute small amounts to carry that account forward in time, but as long as I am part of IDGENWEB I will make sure we are covered. No one else is required to contribute unless they would like to. It's not a substantial amount of money (about $100/year) and there is sufficient space to accommodate all counties that wish to make use of it. Now for your last question about what you will need to do if you decide to move. All existing files will need to be moved from their present server to the new one. I am happy to make that transfer for anyone who wishes that help. If your files refer to absolute addresses at your Rootsweb or other current location, those links will have to be adjusted. The right way to link is to use what is called "relative links." I am happy to convert absolute addresses to relative address in conjunction with a move to idgenweb.org for any coordinator who would like me to do so. If someone wants to move, or to try a move, I will set up the new account and provide you with the access information so you can work on the new site using FTP. (Server name, user name, password). Once the move has taken place and tested to your satisfaction, I would then point the State pages to the new location for the county page involved. I currently have requests from several of you and will set up those accounts by this coming weekend. Mike St. Clair State Coordinator - IDGENWEB -------------------------------------------------- From: "PENNY CASEY" <penny_randy@msn.com> Sent: Tuesday, September 15, 2009 8:36 PM To: <idgen@rootsweb.com> Subject: Re: [IDGEN] New Location for IDGENWEB State Pages > > Can you tell me why you are changing to a different server? Is it just > because of the hacker? > > Also, what are the pros and cons of moving our county site? And what do > we need to do on our end if we decide to move it? > > > > Guess I have missed some emails or something. . . . > > > > Thanks, > > Penny > > Idaho County

Mike - more questions -- Isn't it going to shorten the web address? Won't we just have to upload our pgs to the new server, then delete them from rootsweb? I'm presently using "free find" on my sites & they send me reports. Will "free find" no longer be necessary? Sharon   ________________________________ From: Mike St. Clair/ST <mike@saintclair.org> To: idgen@rootsweb.com Sent: Tuesday, September 15, 2009 10:27:06 PM Subject: Re: [IDGEN] New Location for IDGENWEB State Pages Good questions, Penny. Let me start by emphasizing that no one is required to move.  And as near as I know, there have not been any hacker intrusions into GENWEB sites resident at Rootsweb.  I deeply appreciate the great service Rootsweb has provided over the years by allowing GENWEB and other genealogical websites to reside on their servers, and at no cost.  That said, let me explain some pros of moving the State pages to a different server.  Many of these would also apply to moving county websites. 1 - Elimination of the Ancestry header:  Back in 2008 Ancestry, which owns Rootsweb, decided to begin placing a header on most websites at Rootsweb making it clear they were part of ancestry.com and advertising for the commercial services Ancestry offers.  I happen to be one of those who subscribe to Ancestry and find it of great value in my research.  But I think the headers send a message that is inconsistent with the USGENWEB goal of providing resources for free.  It has made some think they were getting the GENWEB resources from ancestry.  Some states and counties don't feel the same way and have chosen not to move. 2 - Making additional capabilities available: Rootsweb restricts the available services for those who use their free websites.  I'm sure they have good reasons for doing this, but it does prevent their users from many modern facilities that most web hosting providers supply, like databases, scripting like PHP, content management and forum software, etc.  These additional services can substantially decrease the maintenance effort for websites, for those coodinators who make use of them. 3 - Accounting information: Rootsweb does not provide any accounting information about what pages are visited and by whom.  Most web host providers supply a substantial amount of such information to help the webmasters understand how useful their efforts are. On the con side, someone has to pay for the web space if it is not supplied free by Rootsweb.  I am funding the server space for IDGENWEB.  Sometime later in the year, I will give others the option to contribute small amounts to carry that account forward in time, but as long as I am part of IDGENWEB I will make sure we are covered. No one else is required to contribute unless they would like to.  It's not a substantial amount of money (about $100/year) and there is sufficient space to accommodate all counties that wish to make use of it. Now for your last question about what you will need to do if you decide to move. All existing files will need to be moved from their present server to the new one.  I am happy to make that transfer for anyone who wishes that help. If your files refer to absolute addresses at your Rootsweb or other current location, those links will have to be adjusted.  The right way to link is to use what is called "relative links."  I am happy to convert absolute addresses to relative address in conjunction with a move to idgenweb.org for any coordinator who would like me to do so. If someone wants to move, or to try a move, I will set up the new account and provide you with the access information so you can work on the new site using FTP.  (Server name, user name, password).  Once the move has taken place and tested to your satisfaction, I would then point the State pages to the new location for the county page involved.  I currently have requests from several of you and will set up those accounts by this coming weekend. Mike St. Clair State Coordinator - IDGENWEB -------------------------------------------------- From: "PENNY CASEY" <penny_randy@msn.com> Sent: Tuesday, September 15, 2009 8:36 PM To: <idgen@rootsweb.com> Subject: Re: [IDGEN] New Location for IDGENWEB State Pages > > Can you tell me why you are changing to a different server?  Is it just > because of the hacker? > > Also, what are the pros and cons of moving our county site?  And what do > we need to do on our end if we decide to move it? > > > > Guess I have missed some emails or something. . . . > > > > Thanks, > > Penny > > Idaho County ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to IDGEN-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message

Mike, Thanks so much for the explanations. Much appreciated. You can count me in for moving Idaho County. Penny > From: mike@saintclair.org > To: idgen@rootsweb.com > Date: Tue, 15 Sep 2009 22:27:06 -0600 > Subject: Re: [IDGEN] New Location for IDGENWEB State Pages > > Good questions, Penny. > > Let me start by emphasizing that no one is required to move. And as near as > I know, there have not been any hacker intrusions into GENWEB sites resident > at Rootsweb. I deeply appreciate the great service Rootsweb has provided > over the years by allowing GENWEB and other genealogical websites to reside > on their servers, and at no cost. That said, let me explain some pros of > moving the State pages to a different server. Many of these would also > apply to moving county websites. > > 1 - Elimination of the Ancestry header: Back in 2008 Ancestry, which owns > Rootsweb, decided to begin placing a header on most websites at Rootsweb > making it clear they were part of ancestry.com and advertising for the > commercial services Ancestry offers. I happen to be one of those who > subscribe to Ancestry and find it of great value in my research. But I > think the headers send a message that is inconsistent with the USGENWEB goal > of providing resources for free. It has made some think they were getting > the GENWEB resources from ancestry. Some states and counties don't feel the > same way and have chosen not to move. > > 2 - Making additional capabilities available: Rootsweb restricts the > available services for those who use their free websites. I'm sure they > have good reasons for doing this, but it does prevent their users from many > modern facilities that most web hosting providers supply, like databases, > scripting like PHP, content management and forum software, etc. These > additional services can substantially decrease the maintenance effort for > websites, for those coodinators who make use of them. > > 3 - Accounting information: Rootsweb does not provide any accounting > information about what pages are visited and by whom. Most web host > providers supply a substantial amount of such information to help the > webmasters understand how useful their efforts are. > > On the con side, someone has to pay for the web space if it is not supplied > free by Rootsweb. I am funding the server space for IDGENWEB. Sometime > later in the year, I will give others the option to contribute small amounts > to carry that account forward in time, but as long as I am part of IDGENWEB > I will make sure we are covered. No one else is required to contribute > unless they would like to. It's not a substantial amount of money (about > $100/year) and there is sufficient space to accommodate all counties that > wish to make use of it. > > Now for your last question about what you will need to do if you decide to > move. > > All existing files will need to be moved from their present server to the > new one. I am happy to make that transfer for anyone who wishes that help. > > If your files refer to absolute addresses at your Rootsweb or other current > location, those links will have to be adjusted. The right way to link is to > use what is called "relative links." I am happy to convert absolute > addresses to relative address in conjunction with a move to idgenweb.org for > any coordinator who would like me to do so. > > If someone wants to move, or to try a move, I will set up the new account > and provide you with the access information so you can work on the new site > using FTP. (Server name, user name, password). Once the move has taken > place and tested to your satisfaction, I would then point the State pages to > the new location for the county page involved. I currently have requests > from several of you and will set up those accounts by this coming weekend. > > Mike St. Clair > State Coordinator - IDGENWEB > > > > -------------------------------------------------- > From: "PENNY CASEY" <penny_randy@msn.com> > Sent: Tuesday, September 15, 2009 8:36 PM > To: <idgen@rootsweb.com> > Subject: Re: [IDGEN] New Location for IDGENWEB State Pages > > > > > Can you tell me why you are changing to a different server? Is it just > > because of the hacker? > > > > Also, what are the pros and cons of moving our county site? And what do > > we need to do on our end if we decide to move it? > > > > > > > > Guess I have missed some emails or something. . . . > > > > > > > > Thanks, > > > > Penny > > > > Idaho County > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to IDGEN-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message