I guess we have a whole different idea of volunteerism down here in Louisa County. Data itself is not copyrightable and when I and my co-members type up databases, etc. for Rootsweb, it is with the idea that OTHER people can now have access to the same information as we do. Now, when I donate to the Red Cross, the Heart Association, and other charities, I don't expect to retain complete ownership of my contribution. I have the satisfaction of knowing that a few pennies will help someone else even though after working in a hospital, I know that most of that contribution will go for researchers and secretaries salaries and will never be seen by the patient. There are certain administrative costs and maintenance fees that are necessary for the patient to finally obtain any benefit. I can't boss any of these projects but hope I have helped in some way. I absolutely do not understand the proprietary attitude and possessiveness of people working as so called volunteers. I am grateful for all the free web space I have been allocated in order to help others. No matter what it is, there are some people that will always fight change. I tell my husband, when he comes home and gripes what the younger generation is doing downtown for improvements he thinks are unnecessary, to not voice his negativism too loudly as that is a sure sign of being dubbed "old" when you resist all new ideas. Most opposition is from ignorance and often your worst fears are never realized. Think about it. Are you a "volunteer with strings" or a "contributor to mankind"? Control is not an issue with me as I know what my real copyright issues are and I don't expect to copyright every word I write as much of it will eventually be deleted or forgotten anyway. Those of you padding this list with your complaints are part of the problem. Try a little patience and the bugs in the new system will be worked out. Anyone experienced with new database systems know from the beginning that there will be necessary enhancements once the system is up and running to identify the problem areas. Everyone impatiently hitting the link repeatedly so they can join the "rabble rousing" is causing the rest of us to wait longer to access the site to claim our sites. And it is irritating the heck out of me when you keep asking the obvious questions that have already been answered.. I have been more than amply paid for anything that I have contributed by the appreciation shown from others and the tons of info I have found in return. I have used Ancestry in the past to locate relatives that otherwise defied my efforts. For this, I feel my money was well spent to access their site for a few months. And they still have the best resource on the market with their "Source" book published a few years back. These are good people but they do need to charge for a few things to stay on the air. We all will eventually return to the dust anyway, we can't take it with us. I would rather see it available for future generations than develop paranoia for fear someone else will use my work. Norma Jennings