Vonnie, Yes, maybe it does make things easier for the people who are searching for their own surnames. However, don't forget that a large part of that information you're finding is coming from we "volunteers" who are going to the libraries and history centers in our our area, gathering the information, paying out our money for the photocopies, and spending our free time to put it online for you to find. We "volunteers" have posted thousands of obits, bios, etc. on folks we're not even related to just because we believe that being able to help people discover and preserve one's family legacy is a good cause. I agree that the new system (once they get the search engines working right) may make it easier for folks who are just using the Boards to do their own research. However, it makes it more difficult for the folks who are submitting the information to keep straight what has and has not already been posted. If it's more difficult on the volunteers to do their work, I'm afraid we're going to have a lot of them throwing in the towel and, in turn, the whole process will suffer because information which would have otherwise been posted will not be there to find. Bettye ----- Original Message ----- From: "Vonnie" <vonnieann@earthlink.net> To: <RootsWeb-Help-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Friday, June 22, 2001 9:34 PM Subject: Fw: [RW-Help] Volunteerism contributions > Ditto Norma! Give it some time, it will work out! Instead of going to each > individual board - a person can search for their surname and it get > everything at once! Great Idea! > > Vonnie > vonnieann@earthlink.net http://www.rootsweb.com/~mocharit/chariton.htm > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > "With God All Things Are Possible" > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Norma F. Jennings <njennings@lisco.net> > To: RootsWeb-Help-L@rootsweb.com <RootsWeb-Help-L@rootsweb.com> > Date: Friday, June 22, 2001 11:51 AM > Subject: [RW-Help] Volunteerism contributions > > > >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 > > > >______________________________ > > > > ============================== > Visit Ancestry.com for a FREE 14-Day Trial and enjoy access to the #1 > Source for Family History Online. Go to: > http://www.ancestry.com/subscribe/subscribetrial1y.asp?sourcecode=F11HB >