Hi Tony The responses so far have been pretty negative so I thought I'd insert a bit of balance ;o)) I've had my data posted on WorldConnect for several years and have been happy that I posted it. 1. I've been contacted by several "cousins" and we've exchanged information on branches of the family tree. 2. WorldConnect is part on Ancestry.COM -- but (so far) they have never "harvested" data to sell. 3. By including my sources on WorldConnect people can go to the sources to verify my data. As hard as it for me to admit -- I sometimes make errors. I occasionally will get a question about where I found a date or event. 4. By using the WorldConnect software to "Protect the Living" -- I have a Doomsday backup of my data. Many of the negatives cited in earlier responses are valid for everyday situations (Not Just WorldConnect) and are common sense. Bottom line -- I'm happy I posted my data on WorldConnect. Regards, Ken Guilette South Barrington, IL ----- Original Message ----- From: Anthony Roberts To: PAF-5-USERS-L@rootsweb.com Sent: Thursday, July 28, 2005 4:52 PM Subject: [PAF-5] Gedcom sharing/worldconnect I am interested in others views on world connect and sharing gedcom files. Worldconnect is a rootsweb/ancestry.com site that allows you to place your gedcom data on the web, where others can search from it. There is an option which you can turn on or off which allows users to download your gedcom. Do people here you this site? I do, because it increases the likelihood of finding people with common ancestors who may be able to share research. I also like the fact that my research is "published", in case unforseeable events mean that me and my gedcom file vanish. However there are downsides as well. Sometimes there are 20 or 30 entries for a single soul (20 or 30 people have the person in there tree), and it is hard to determine who, if anyone actually did the research, so you can follow up on it. Ideally each entry should be documented, so that you can repeat the research more easily if you need to. On numerous occasions I have contacted owners and found that no little about person, they just copied the person undocumented into their tree as they were distantly related (I guess bigger is better?). For this reason I don't make my gedcom downloadable - I don't want vaguely interested people pasting my entire gedcom into theirs. If someone came looking to share information on an ancestor and encountered the 29 people who only have a vague interest, they might never get to me.I sometimes get requests for my gedcom from people who I have not shared any research with, and I do not know how to politely convey my feelings on these issues. I am happy to share my gedcom with people who care about documentation, will not extract holus bolus data from it, and won't keep propogating it. One copy on the web seems enough. Do other people feel this way? Am I just being a stinge and unfriendly? If the shoe were on the other foot, if someone had some beautifully researched and documented line of mine I would certainly like to incorporate that line in my tree (for printing trees and reports etc). A second downside of using worldconnect is that ancestry.com emails me every so often and asks me if I want to pay to read my database ("Anthony, we have found an ancestor of yours, please pay us to expand your tree"). It annoys me that I place my data for tree and ancestry tries to hock it off for money, without saying it is available on worldconnect (where they must have sourced the names I'm talking about) for free. I am interested in your views on these matters. Cheers, Tony ==== PAF-5-USERS Mailing List ==== PAF @ FamilySearch Internet Genealogy Service http://www.familysearch.org/eng/paf/

I also use WorldConnect and have been happy for the same reasons as Ken. I have made errors and sometimes things are posted that are a best guess. I will often state the guesses in the notes and even if I did not, folks should take anything without documentation as a guess and not fact. That is even true of books and claims in the media (maybe I shouldn't go there!). The information published often helps folks to the proper result, even if sometimes it is misleading. In genealogy, a guess is sometimes all that you will get with the elimination of records by fire and related issues. It sure would be nice to have the 1890 census available and some of the ones from 1800 that were burned in the War of 1812. Without those records, only reasonable guesses can be made. However, cross checking records to disprove a guess is as important as using records to prove the data. I have a lot of my family history recorded, but continually work on finding better (or any) documentation for what I have. I have met cousins through my posts that have been valuable. Sometimes folks have pointed out errors and suggested sources that indicate such. That kind of info is also great - it suggests a guess is wrong. I do not have the funds to travel all over the US and the world to collect detailed records, so the ability to exchange with others has been very useful. On-line genealogy has helped countless folks make advances in their lines that my grandfather could not have believed. He started our work, and both my brother and I have used it as a base for substantial expansion. I have my brick-walls and hope that some day I will see a post that may just be what I need to track the needed documentation. Thus, I agree with Ken - I am happy I posted my data on WorldConnent. Bill > Bottom line -- I'm happy I posted my data on WorldConnect. > > Ken