No, there's no subscription needed for GenForum. And there hasn't been a World Family Tree for several years. Ancestry bought GenForum to keep it running when it's owners couldn't afford it anymore and it remains free, just like RootsWeb. In addition, there are many free databases on Ancestry. You need to create a guest account but do not need a subscription to use them. http://www.searchforancestors.com/ancestryfreebies.html Clare, ListMistress