I will fill you in on the latest from members of rootsweb. Gail Sent: Friday, July 02, 1999 7:49 AM Subject: New policies at Rootsweb > Dear researchers, > > I think since we have not been notified before on the St. Mary's County > list or the Charles County list. Perhaps we should be aware of this, > even though I don't understand what it means completely. Joann Ellis > shared this with me from the Mattingly list. I think it's time we > demanded Roots L explain there direction better and all affected could > voice their opinion. I personally do not view this as a positive > direction and plan to speak my mind at Roots web.As soon as I learn > where we can voice our concerns. > > > > Sugested reading Rootsweb changes its policy I suggest you all read this > and make up your own minds what it meens . I will take any and all > private thoughts of what to do. > Remember this is not my thoughts, I work hard at things I do for > Rootsweb and have nothing againest them . But you should read this so you > are informed. > Dan > ==== > ===== > > The following report was emailed to me by a Listowner-Researcher at > RootsWeb who requested anonymity and gifted it to the "public domain." > The report includes his "temporary solution" regarding some of the many > still-unanswered questions regarding the new AUP and Policies, > Procedures > and Guidelines and pre-existing Agreements, Policies, Procedures and > Guidelines. > > ARE YOUR POSTINGS NOW OWNED BY ROOTSWEB? > A GUIDE TO THE MAILING LIST RIGHTS OF > LISTOWNERS AND POSTERS AT ROOTSWEB > BEFORE AND AFTER 16 JUN 1999 > > Prior to 26 May 1999, the vast majority of the thousands of Genealogical > Mailing Lists served by the RootsWeb Genealogical Data Cooperative (now > a > for-profit organization) were administered by Individual Listowners. On > 26 May 1999, however, RootsWeb announced the creation of over 3,000 new > Surname Mailing Lists, and on 9 Jun 1999, of over 1,000 new U.S. County > Mailing Lists - all solely owned by RootsWeb. > > On 16 Jun 1999, RootsWeb published a new Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) in > RootsWeb Review, Vol. 2, No. 24, 16 June 1999 > (ftp://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/review/19990616.txt), which significantly > reduced the rights and Copyrights of Posters - except to those Mailing > List subject to Pre-Existing Agreements; i.e., all Genealogical Mailing > Lists created prior to 26 May 1999. > > PRE-EXISTING AGREEMENTS > > Prior to publication of the new AUP on 16 Jun 1999, the Individual > Copyright of each List Posting was that of the Poster, and the > Compilation Copyright of each List's Archives (collection of all > postings) was that of the Listowner. > > IF a Listowner chose to Archive his/her List at RootsWeb, RootsWeb owned > the Output Copyright of Search Engine Returns (Format and > Presentation), > but only while the List's Archives were Searchable by RootsWeb Search > Engine(s). RootsWeb had no copyright other than the license to the > original distribution. > > IF a Listowner chose to Archive his List at RootsWeb, he had the choice > of either the ISearch Search Engine only, or both the ISearch Search > Engine and the HotDig Search Engine (with Threaded Archives). > > IF a Listowner chose to Archive his List at another server, he could do > so, regardless of whether or not the List's Archives were also being > Archived at RootsWeb. > > IF a Listowner chose to cease Archiving at any time, he could do so, > regardless of whether or not his List's Archives would be maintained on > another server. > > IF a Listowner chose to remove his List's Archives at any time, he could > demand that this be done, and was free to delete his own copy and/or > upload them anywhere at any time. > > IF the List Archives were searchable with engines provided by RootsWeb, > the > latter held an Output (Format or Presentation) Copyright. IF, however, > the Listowner chose to not Archive List Postings, or to Archive List > Postings on another server. > > Note: Each Individual List also has its own Policies, Procedures, > Guidelines and/or Agreements, most often found in a List's Welcome > Letter. These agreements are between the Listowner and the List > Subscribers and in many cases supercede and/or are in addition to > RootsWeb Policies, Procedures, Guidelines, Agreements and/or AUPS, > whether Pre- or Post-16 Jun 1999. > > POST-AUP (16 Jun 1999) > > New Mailing Lists (those created after publication of the new AUP on 16 > Jun 1999) are apparently covered by the new AUP, under which RootsWeb > has (a) the right to Permanent Distribution and Re-Distribution of all > Postings; and (b) possibly(?) the right to require "Listowners" to > Archive Postings at RootsWeb (and only at RootsWeb?). > > Unfortunately, many Listowners and Posters have not been notified of > pre-existing or new policies, guidelines and rights, nor of current > problems and confusion regarding new List Archiving Policies and > Procedures. > > Furthermore, it is impossible for the Poster to know if a List is a New > List or an Old List unless the Listowner adds Notices to the List's > Welcome > Letters, Digest Administrivia and Tag Lines. > > SUGGESTED MAILING LIST NOTICES > > I. OLD MAILING LISTS (created pre-16 Jun 1999): > > A. Tag Lines and Digest Administrivia: > > Copyright 1999 by Poster and Listowner, All Rights Reserved. > > B. Welcome Letters (-L and -D) > > Notice: Because this is a "pre-16 Jun 1999" Mailing List, Individual > Postings are owned (copyrighted) by the poster and the collection of > postings (List Archives) by the Listowner. > > II. NEW MAILING LISTS (created post-15 Jun 1999): > > A. Tag Lines and Digest Administrivia: > > Copyright 1999 by Poster and the RootsWeb Genealogical Data Cooperative, > a for-profit organization, which retains Permanent Rights to > Distribution and Re-Distribution (See > ftp://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/review/19990616.txt). > > B. Welcome Letters (-L and -D) > > Important Notice: Because this Mailing List was created after 15 Jun > 1999, the RootsWeb Genealogical Data Cooperative (a for-profit > organization) > retains Permanent Rights to Distribution and Re-Distribution. See Also > the > RootsWeb Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) dated 16 Jun 1999 regarding > additional > restrictions (ftp://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/review/19990616.txt). > > III. ALL MAILING LISTS (regardless of date of creation): > > A. Post the new AUP > > B. Post a copy of this Article, in its entirety. > > (Anonymous, Public Domain, 1999) > > > ==== USGENWEB-ALL Mailing List ==== > The USGenWeb Project is not a commercial project. > >