Michelle, I couldn't agree with you more. Sure, Ancestry does offer "freebies" once in a while, but you need a credit card to sign up for that and then it is next to impossible to cancel it before it gets on your card. I, for one, have never paid for anything relating to my genealogy, with the exception of 3 social security applications and those were all before the prices went up back during the summer. I am one of those people that simply can't afford the fees. Just wanted to show you my support for free genealogy also, Lainee Denton http://www.angelfire.com/tn2/GrannysPlace/ http://www.genealogy.com/genealogy/users/d/e/n/Elaine-Denton ----Original Message Follows---- From: "Mark J. Stangohr" <m.stangohr@worldnet.att.net> To: MOHENRY-L@rootsweb.com Subject: RE: [MOHenry] [admin] RootsWeb / Ancestry Explanation Date: Sat, 10 Nov 2001 13:50:15 -0800 Michael, I appreciate your position regarding the support of Ancestry and I would hate to see RootsWeb discontiued, but I have to express my frustration everytime I want to see information from a 'public' record I am asked to pay for it. In addition Ancestry asks you for $$ from you, even though you can't be sure you will ever find a single ancestor from their records. Many people can't afford their fees. I spend many hours online researching, and I do find some free places, but as you stated, they are slowly declining. I just feel that it is unethical for one place to monopolize data and sell it to the people who have the right to know about their ancestors in the first place. Again I do appreciate your position and your work, you do a great job at MOHENRY. Thanks for letting me express myself Sincerely, Michelle -----Original Message----- From: Michael G. McManness [SMTP:mmcmanness@mindspring.com] Sent: Saturday, November 10, 2001 6:55 AM To: MOHENRY-L@rootsweb.com Subject: [MOHenry] [admin] RootsWeb / Ancestry Explanation Hi Everyone, Volunteer contributions did *not* support RootsWeb well enough for it to remain viable. Ancestry purchased RootsWeb. RootsWeb remains a free volunteer effort. Ancestry is subscription or pay for use. You will see further consolidation of the two where they overlap in the future such as the merger of RootsWeb's GenConnect & Ancestry's Family History Message Boards and RootsWeb's WorldConnect & Ancestry's WorldTree Family Trees. These features have been improved and remain free to researchers. Ancestry is trying to make this merger work while still showing a profit. There is less and less that is "free" left on the Internet. Everyone knows that the bottom line is showing a profit. It is important as RootsWeb users that we try to support Ancestry to help RootsWeb and it's concept of free genealogy aided by volunteers available to researchers! I can't predict the future but I can tell you that however Ancestry goes so will RootsWeb. I hope this explanation helps. If you have problems or further questions please let me know. :-)) Thanks again, Mike ************************* Michael G. McManness, a Jayhawk through and through, eating, sleeping, and bleeding Crimson and Blue near the University of Kansas. Family genealogist and research historian. "Character may be manifested in the great moments, but it is made in the small ones." --- Phillip Brooks ************************* ==== MOHENRY Mailing List ==== Share Your Family History The primary purpose and function of RootsWeb is to connect people so that they can help each other and share genealogical research. Most resources on RootsWeb are designed to facilitate such connections. "But where do I begin?" That question is often asked by new users when faced with all the options available at RootsWeb. The best ways for you to connect to others on RootsWeb are to make it easy for others to find you, ask for help, and give others help. This page will give you a brief overview of the many resources available at RootsWeb; and areas where you will want to contribute as your own research progresses. Your contributions to RootsWeb make the MOHENRY Mail List possible. http://searches.rootsweb.com/share.html ============================== Visit Ancestry.com for a FREE 14-Day Trial and enjoy access to the #1 Source for Family History Online. Go to: http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=702&sourceid=1237 ==== MOHENRY Mailing List ==== Would you like to check for information in the Archives? RootsWeb Threaded Mailing List Archive: http://archiver.rootsweb.com/list-index.html RootsWeb Interactive Search of Mailing List Archive: http://searches.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/listsearch.pl ============================== Visit Ancestry.com for a FREE 14-Day Trial and enjoy access to the #1 Source for Family History Online. Go to: http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=702&sourceid=1237 _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp