I am not describing ancestry.com per se. The website idea was started by them. When the admin or sponsor pays for the site you pay ancestry.com.. You do not contribute any information to ancestry.com unless you choose to. You don't have to be a member to join the myfamily.com sites. There is a place to post your tree on the site IF you choose to even then if does not go to Ancestry.com unless you submit it to them which can de done. Almost nobody posts their trees on the site and I would not either. You do not have to"tell" anything unless you choose to. Anybody who has never been part of these sites should ask for an inivtation and just check it out. It is a lot like the forums through GenWEb -Roots web is also owed by ancestry.com but it is not part of it. You don't has to type one word while on the site - you can just go and get what information some other person as left on the site. Most of them have people willing to do lookups in their books and most post photos of a relative you have somewhere in your files. It is not a scam, it is not a rip off, nobody requires you submit "your stuff" anywhere. Most don't care whether you share or not. again Rootsweb might be free but I encourage you to find out who owns the site. Go to front page Rootsweb.com and look to the right -supported by........Ancestry.com and I thought the same thing -submit to them because they do not charge others to find it. I am not here to boost ancestry.com and I would not do that - but anybody who does not check into these and has the negitive attitude is never going to discover what I have called the greatest thing to happend to internet genealogy searching. On my WV sites - I searched out and found the bookwriters, the "experts" and the people in the know on local names. They came and they came back because the idea caught on. They don't charge for their help and most are willing to share. Those of who who let the negitivity of people who cannot accept that this is something that is free to use and free to share (or not share) - they cannot accept change or anything new and are just plain negitive, I am asking you to ask for an invitation -go one time. Now charge at the door, noone asks you for your hard work -justlook and then you don't like it-then go to then go to list of members and delete yourself or else write admin and ask them to delete you. Easy really. Really guys a little more trust would not kill you. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Samuel J. Bowser" <bowsersa@pa.net> To: <MDGARRET-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Tuesday, November 18, 2003 3:45 PM Subject: Re: [MDGARRET] New website > Sounds like you're describing ancestry.com. I belong to it, > and that's exactly the reason I have no intention of putting > my data in their "My Family" or whatever they call it.com. > > One day I'll put it on rootsweb where anyone can access it > without going through Ancestry's rigamaro. > > Sam > > "K.Fitzgerald" wrote: > > > I'm curious.... > > This new web site isn't one of those "closed" web sites places where you > > have to supply the sponsor > > with your guest's name and e-mail address before they can visit is it? Where > > they can > > only visit the site after they read this long list of legal > > mumbo-jumbo (which is usually written so that few people actually read > > through it all....much less understand it) terms that they must agree to > > before > > they can enter and use the site for the first time? Where once a guest > > visits... the sponsor then sends them little messages (whenever someone > > posts > > something new at the site) to click on a link provided in > > the message so they can visit the site again and see what's been added? > > . > > The reason I ask is that I made the mistake of visiting a site like that a > > few years ago and after a while > > I began to notice that I would get this increase in SPAM after each visit. > > Finally put two and two together and made some inquiries..... > > Seems the folks who sponsor many of these so-called "free" but "closed" > > sites do so because it provides them with a means of collecting what they > > know to be active/valid e-mail addresses. They use and/or sell these e-mail > > addresses for SPAM purposes. They get away with this under the claim that > > it's > > not SPAM because the guest freely supplied their name & email address plus > > agreed > > to receive advertisements from them an/or their associates. > > Every time a person visits or revisits one of these "closed sites" it > > confirms that their email address is still valid and active. > > . > > Sponsoring genealogy websites is especially popular among those wanting to > > compile valid/active e-mail address lists because genealogists make up such > > a > > large percentage of today's Internet users. > > . > > Hmmm? > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: Terrie Smith <terrie7@alltel.net> > > To: <MDGARRET-L@rootsweb.com> > > Sent: Sunday, November 16, 2003 2:23 PM > > Subject: [MDGARRET] New website > > > > > There is a new forum type website on MyFamily.com called Western Maryland: > > Including Garrett and Allegany Counties. This forum allows posting of > > pictures and other documents. The site is brand new and there is not much > > there. But, it is expected to have a large response. If you are interested > > in joining us, please email me you first and last name alongwith your email > > address. Thank you Terrie Smith and Bonnie McCRoby Wuensche. > > > > > > terrie7@alltel.net > > > > > > > ==== MDGARRET Mailing List ==== > > If you need help with this list, make sure to email the list administrator, Carol Hepburn, at chepburn@cox.net. > > > > > ==== MDGARRET Mailing List ==== > If you need help with this list, make sure to email the list administrator, Carol Hepburn, at chepburn@cox.net. >