AMEN, Margaret. One other thing I might add...my gedcoms were uploaded at the Rootsweb site, where they can be accessed for free. They are also at Ancestry. Since I'm a subscribed member I don't know if these trees are still free at Ancestry, or if they are included in the "basic" subscription, but they used to be free when I first started online researching in 1998. I personally don't feel that Ancestry is "taking" our research and making it their own. We "give" it to the websites where it is then available to anyone with internet access. ----- Original Message ----- From: "MScheffler" <mscheffl@twcny.rr.com> To: <NYOSWEGO-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Wednesday, June 28, 2006 10:42 PM Subject: [NYOSWEGO] Value of library and Ancestry resources > I continue to be amazed by the number of people who are so willing to > bash > Ancestry when it supplies so much excellent value for such a reasonable > cost. Those of us who are seasoned researchers and who answer queries for > others tend to find much information from Ancestry that we freely pass on > to others. > > Those of us with limited opportunity to travel to research find it > useful. > > I can understand people not having enough money to subscribe or have > research needs Ancestry does not cover, but aside from financial > constraints a few may have, I fail to see how good researchers could fail > to see value in all the resources currently available online, with > Ancestry being the best in my opinion.. > > Beginners might be advised to stick to research at one's local library > and the free information available online until they learn a bit about > how to research, but those having gone back a few generations and having > New England ancestors, and wishing to progress will eventually need the > resources offered by large libraries with genealogical collections or > Ancestry as an adjunct and alternative. > > The every name indexing in the US census alone makes Ancestry well > worth the cost in "my opinion". Only a few years ago, driving 4 hours > each way to the Pittsfield, MA National Archives and having to deal > without indexes for some census schedules had me yearning for the US > census online. I feel so fortunate to have this readily accessible from > my home online. Obviously I don't have to pay gas or lodging, reserve a > microfilm reader and spend hours looking for things a search engine takes > me to in a matter of seconds. I find so.... much of use in the census. > > So if one does not like Ancestry, feel free not to use it, but I would > request that people pass on the truth. Half truths or absolute > inaccuracies confuse the beginner. My guess is that those bashing it, have > never really become acquainted with either basic library research or > research using Ancestry. Nothing can entirely take the place of searching > where your ancestors lived whether it be Oswego or Boston or wherever. > Onsite and other avenues will always be needed, but Ancestry sure provides > a good jumping off place for many families. As with any resource, one > needs to learn what it offers and what it does not offer. > > One wonders why people would expect lookups for information on > Ancestry, yet bash it....... One wonders why people pass on blatant > inaccuracies.... Yes WorldConnect is FREE for everyone, and one can > remove one's database should one choose. Rootsweb mailing lists and county > Web pages are also free (provided by Ancestry). > > Margaret Scheffler > > > > > ==== NYOSWEGO Mailing List ==== > List Administrator Bonita Shafer > Northern New York Genealogy - http://www.nnygenealogy.com > sagemarie98@earthlink.net > > ============================== > Search Family and Local Histories for stories about your family and the > areas they lived. Over 85 million names added in the last 12 months. > Learn more: http://www.ancestry.com/s13966/rd.ashx > >

I happen to be one of those whose pay for Ancestry.com and think it is worth every penny - But for those of you who for any reason do not want to pay - You can have free access at any Family History Library, and the one nearest me only charges a nickel per page for the ones I want to print. I understand that many public libraries also offer this service at no charge. The only inconvenience is that you have to go to the library. For me, at home access is worth the price. Happy Hunting, Joyce in San Antonio. TX

Hi, I know..the thread has gone on much too long, but I never saw the correct version of how these services are connected and the "taking of our work and selling it to others" is connected to what company. MyFamily.com, Inc. is the owner of many of the genealogy sites that we use. A home page for them: http://www.myfamilyinc.com/default.aspx They own Ancestry-RootsWeb and Genealogy.com. Genealogy.com has message boards a subscription library etc. They are the site that original sells FTM-Family Tree Maker. When someone using FTM reaches a certain number FTM says want to share your info upload it here. Then it sold as World Family Trees- Either by disc or you can subscribe at their site and access it on line only, no disc. RootsWeb was Free Web site dedicated to helping people connect with their genealogy. It was financed by Donations. List were created by people who paid RootsWeb money to have the surname list they wanted formed. They ran "their" list and since they paid for it and ran it were called List Owners. At some point people quit being required to pay for their lists as advertising started bringing in more revenues etc. The site grew etc and then Ancestry brought out the owners of RootsWeb...I leave out what I know of the details because I know I'll mess up somewhere. Part of the deal was keeping RootsWeb free I believe. Anyway, the World Connect and the Ancestry Message boards merged. Both are free on both sites. Next thing we hear is that Ancestry-now going by the corporate name MyFamily.com buys Genealogy.com. Thus they became the owners of FTM and the web site. They do keep those two sites fairly separate I think. The World Family Trees subscription is sold/accessed only on the Genealogy.com site. You can NOT access it at all from Ancestry's site at ALL. Ancestry buys the information it sells. Thank you for your time. Except I would like to add that I am grateful that Ancestry did buy RootsWeb and it remains free for us to use. RootsWeb would probably have had to start charging us by now if they had not. RootsWeb works with a staff of less than the fingers on one hand. They are amazing people. They couldn't do it alone without the admins who help manage the Lists and the Boards....but all in all they are amazing! margy Any errors in this message are my own fault for writing off the top of head and not researching every word first but going from memory.