Sandy and List, I manage both the GenConnect board and the mailing list for the Menard surname. A post to GenConnect automatically creates an email to the mailing list. Both mailing lists and Boards have strengths and weaknesses. A mailing list, even one that is publicly archived as most of the RootsWeb lists are, is primarily focussed on the present and discussion taking place currently among a group of people. In depth discussion is possible and direct interaction among the members of the group of subscribers. Discussion on a mailing list tends to cover a topic at length, and when that discussion is exhausted a new discussion begins on another subject. The strength of a mailing list is the ability to include a large number of people and opinions in an ongoing, in depth, discussion benefiting list subscribers immediately. By contrast, query and message boards like those in our GenConnect system not only function within the present time, but provide long term archiving and universal searchability by anyone who chooses to search for a surname. There is no requirement to subscribe to a discussion group to make a contact through a search, post a question to a Query Board, or access archived documents, using GenConnect. The strength of a Query board rests with its being the best place to post a query about your "dead end" or "brick wall" ancestors. You might not get an answer tomorrow, or even next week; but the query remains in place for anyone at any future time to find it and to make contact with the original poster. A far larger audience will search the surnames included on the board messages over a period of time than will subscribe to any one mailing list. The non-query (document) boards provide an excellent place to record, search, and archive Bible Records, Biographies, Deeds, Obituaries, Pensions, and Wills, for your future reference, and to aid others in their research. If everyone who has access to some family record in the above categories would simply transcribe and post the information in their possession, in time there would be a very valuable storehouse of information for the benefit of future genealogists. Sorry, didn't mean to get carried away... but now you know. Regards, Gerry White ----- Original Message ----- From: <Sandycope@aol.com> To: <MAYNARD-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Wednesday, September 20, 2000 9:00 AM Subject: Re: Menard List & GenConnect | How do you subscribe to the Menard list? Can you just post to GenConnect? | Thanks, Sandy | | In a message dated 9/20/00 10:54:18 AM Eastern Daylight Time, | lwiley@copper.net writes: | << From: Gerry White [SMTP:gw101@uswest.net] | Sent: Wednesday, September 20, 2000 2:19 AM | To: MAYNARD-L@rootsweb.com | Subject: Re: James Manard and Abram | Wishing to help - You might also wish to post to the Menard list, or | GenConnect. | >> | | | ==== MAYNARD Mailing List ==== | The Maynard-L Mailing List Home Page: http://www.users.uswest.net/~gw101/WelcomeMaynard.htm | | ============================== | RootsWeb's guide to tracing family trees: | http://www.rootsweb.com/~rwguide/ | |