This is a multi-part message in MIME format. --part0_910827774_boundary Content-ID: <[email protected]_out.mail.aol.com.1> Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Hello List.. This is a suggestion I got this evening from one of our researchers. (the only reason I am not giving his name is because I didn't ask him if I could} I am wondering how many would be willing to post a profile and gedcom. I am also asking how many have the material and would be willing to be listed to do look-ups. Please let me know Sandie > > By this, I mean each member would post their interests profile and a zip > file of Gedcom data if they have one, rather like they do on the Compuserve > Forum. A Directory of members area/connection interests with email > addresses and web addresses would then enable other members or anyone to > target contacts. > > It would be made clear (as I think it is on your website already) what the > purpose of the site is. By this I mean it is not really for general > historical or topographical chit chat, but for Genealogy. > issues, etc > > I suggest that using a website is much more efficient. The Genserv model > may be the ideal, if resources can be found to adopt this approach. > Thereby, readers 'pull' the info they want rather than having any > irrelevant info 'pushed' at them. > > Finaly, may I suggest we have a parallel with the neighborhood Residents > Association. For some its a social club, whereas for others it's a body > which exists to help one solve local problems. I suggest family history > research fall in the latter category. > > In the GENUKI network here in Britain, individuals who offer specific > look-up services are posted on a County specific website. Similarly, a > table of people with access to particular SANFORD reference materials would > feature in a website. A web delivery should make it a more international > venture, as Genserv is. --part0_910827774_boundary Content-ID: <[email protected]_out.mail.compuserve.com.2> Content-type: message/rfc822 Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit Content-disposition: inline Return-Path: <[email protected]> Received: from rly-ya03.mx.aol.com (rly-ya03.mail.aol.com [172.18.144.195]) by air-ya01.mail.aol.com (v51.16) with SMTP; Wed, 11 Nov 1998 16:25:37 -0500 Received: from dub-img-1.compuserve.com (dub-img-1.compuserve.com [149.174.206.131]) by rly-ya03.mx.aol.com (8.8.8/8.8.5/AOL-4.0.0) with ESMTP id QAA21040 for <[email protected]>; Wed, 11 Nov 1998 16:25:35 -0500 (EST) Received: (from [email protected]) by dub-img-1.compuserve.com (8.8.6/8.8.6/2.16) id QAA13410 for [email protected]; Wed, 11 Nov 1998 16:25:33 -0500 (EST) Date: Wed, 11 Nov 1998 16:23:11 -0500 From: PSandford <[email protected]> Subject: Online San(d)ford info Sender: PSandford <[email protected]> To: Sandie Gage <[email protected]> Message-ID: <[email protected]> Content-Disposition: inline Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit Hello Sandie! As one who is attempting to run rather rudementary pilot websites for a number of interest groups I belong to, I have every admiration for the tenacity and commitment you have shown in running the List. Might I suggest that it could be easier for you and for researchers if the list was dropped, and all communications done via the website. By this, I mean each member would post their interests profile and a zip file of Gedcom data if they have one, rather like they do on the Compuserve Forum. A Directory of members area/connection interests with email addresses and web addresses would then enable other members or anyone to target contacts. It would be made clear (as I think it is on your website already) what the purpose of the site is. By this I mean it is not really for general historical or topographical chit chat, but for Genealogy. The India Roots list I receive in Digest form has been cluttered with recipes, poems, enquiries of a historical & topographic nature, ethnic and political issues, etc Most folk just don't have time to wade through all that...and the file is often too big even in Digest mode to save (eg 50K+), without forwarding to enable deletion of the gobbledegook header. I suggest that using a website is much more efficient. The Genserv model may be the ideal, if resources can be found to adopt this approach. Thereby, readers 'pull' the info they want rather than having any irrelevant info 'pushed' at them. Finaly, may I suggest we have a parallel with the neighborhood Residents Association. For some its a social club, whereas for others it's a body which exists to help one solve local problems. I suggest family history research fall in the latter category. In the GENUKI network here in Britain, individuals who offer specific look-up services are posted on a County specific website. Similarly, a table of people with access to particular SANFORD reference materials would feature in a website. A web delivery should make it a more international venture, as Genserv is. I hope my suggestions may point the way to making things easier for you! Indeed, you probably have some of the features already on the website. Lets build on that and hopefully lighten your load. Paul Sandford --part0_910827774_boundary--