-----Original Message----- From: Sandy <teylu@home.com> To: USGENWEB-ALL-L@rootsweb.com <USGENWEB-ALL-L@rootsweb.com> Date: Saturday, June 12, 1999 10:48 AM Subject: Re: [USGENWEB-ALL-L] Re: [Board-Exec-L] Resource pages >jpowelljr wrote: >> >> I guess my reaction was mainly at the >> lack of respect that Rootsweb seems to have shown all of us >> by not asking our opinions and just springing this on us. >> It looks like they are pushing us around instead of playing >> on the team. (Their decision, we all have to live with it >> now) Is Rootsweb willing to be part of the team? I am not >> trying to tell Brian or Rootsweb how to run their business, > > >Jim, > >If I may add to your comments a bit with some observations of my own.... >I believe the recent business decisions by RootsWeb have served as a >point of departure from the previous association between the entities of >USGW and RootsWeb, and mark the need for USGW to clarify its >separateness from RootsWeb. > >RootsWeb's decisions are related to its goals as a for-profit business venture. >(the sheer realization that RootsWeb is a for-profit business venture as >opposed to a nonprofit cooperative has surprised and disturbed a number >of people). > >Heretofore, county-specific genealogical information available on >RootsWeb's servers consisted of those portions of the USGW Project which >USGW volunteers had chosen to locate on RootsWeb's servers... and as we >are aware, not all county volunteers chose to make use of RootsWeb's servers. > >While the alliance of USGW still exists as a project, RootsWeb has, in >essence, launched its own "project" or method of providing >county-specific genealogical information in a manner consistent with its >own goals as a for-profit business venture. > >RootsWeb must make its decisions consistent with its for-profit business goals. > >I think a certain "fork in the road," has been reached where the >difference between the nature of the two entities (RootsWeb and USGW) >and the goals appropriate to each has become apparent. > >I believe the appropriate concern of the USGW project at this juncture >is its own identity as an informal alliance of independent researchers >who associate with one another for the purpose of providing free online >exchange of genealogical research information. > >To date, I don't think anyone has confused the identity of or >relationship between the USGW project with the various clearly >for-profit web servers on which some portions of the project are located. >For example, I don't believe the general public or any of the USGW >volunteers perceives USGW has a "relationship" with GeoCities or various >other for-profit commercial servers upon which various USGW project >pages are located. >It is recognized any relationship is a private and separate one between >that particular volunteer and his/her chosen webspace provider - not a >relationship between the USGW Project and a commercial for-profit entity. > >I'm not aware of any portion of the USGW project offering or suggesting >that pages located on GeoCities, or Earthlink, or any number of other >for-profit servers provide additional links or "Support our Sponsor >GeoCities" or "I Love GeoCities" graphic buttons, etc. on their pages. > >Indeed, I don't even believe USGW suggests these be provided by >volunteers who have chosen to place USGW pages on RootsWeb, although >certainly many of these buttons and links for RootsWeb exist - and >indeed there have been numerous suggestions on USGW lists that such >buttons and links should appear on pages using RootsWeb's servers. >Numerous USGW email lists have added "tags" promoting or soliciting >donations to RootsWeb, and/or thanking RootsWeb for providing service to USGW. > >There is a difference and concern here, since no other commercial server >of which I am aware solicits contributions. >RootsWeb does. > >I do believe there exists some confusion - both by the general public as >well as among USGW volunteers - as to the relationship between USGW and >that of RootsWeb, particularly since RootsWeb does not charge for >webspace used by USGW volunteers for the project. > >Indeed, many people have stated they have donated money to RootsWeb >because it provides free webspace to USGW....an act which I think can be >reasonably interpreted as a donation intended to support USGW. It is not >possible to donate money to USGW, because the project has no means of >receiving it. > >I think it is appropriate for USGW to be concerned with this and hence >to make clear its differentiation from RootsWeb. > >I am of the opinion USGW has a responsibility and obligation to make >clear it does not need money, nor have a formal organization, nor >*accept* - let alone solicit - any financial donations from anyone, and >further that any solicitations conducted by anyone, including RootsWeb, >should not be considered a donation on behalf of USGW. > >I believe this would be a wise and prudent distinction for USGW to make, >particularly in light of RootsWeb's new county pages and direct links to >USGW pages....which could cause further confusion to the public as to >the relationship between USGW and RootsWeb. > >Sandy > >-------- > > >==== USGENWEB-ALL Mailing List ==== >The USGenWeb Project is not a commercial project. >