Dear Johan, You write: "From my Christmas bonus, I could at least treat myself to a GSSA membership. With the result that at least I am grateful for getting something for free!" Please tell me exactly what it is that you get "for free", when you actually PAY to enjoy the limited advantages of GSSA membership. My point is that the ratio of membership fees is 150 to 400, or 15 to 40, or 3 to 8. In other words membership of GSSA is a bit less than half the price of membership at Ancestry24. Now, lets have a look at what you get for your money. For free, as you say. GSSA gives you a journal (Familia) and a newsletter (Genesis or Maiores or Famnea, etc, depending on your branch). GSSA has a web site that offers you: Goals and Objectives <http://www.genza.org.za/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=44%3Ag oals-and-objectives&catid=126%3Aintro-page&Itemid=125&lang=en> Written by administrator. To promote and facilitate interest and research in genealogy and family history to present members, to the genealogical hobbyist and to all members of the public who may be interested in genealogy and/or family history. To promote general understanding of Genealogy and its value, to understand and MAINTAIN PROFESSIONAL STATUS AND DIGNITY for genealogists amongst members of the Genealogical Society of South Africa and the general public. To encourage the OBSERVANCE OF THE HIGHEST STANDARDS OF RESEARCH by members of the Society. To provide a WIDE RANGE OF EDUCATIONAL COURSES, research programmes and services for the general benefit of GSSA branches and members, as well as any other service or assistance as may from time to time be decided upon by the National Council of the GSSA. TO ENCOURAGE AND DEVELOP LINKS WITH FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETIES. TO ESTABLISH AND MAINTAIN CONTACT WITH LIKE MINDED SOCIETIES THROUGHOUT THE WORLD. TO ESTABLISH A CERTIFICATION PROGRAM TO PROMOTE THE RELIABILITY, PROFESSIONALISM AND INTEGRITY of all South African Genealogists and Record Researchers. To assist in the preservation of all genealogical records and memorabilia. In contrast to this dedication to professionalism Ferdie van Wyk writes: We serve a community of dedicated AMATEUR family researchers. The advantages of joining the GSSA are numerous. a) One becomes part of a family of likeminded researchers with vast experience and one can interact with them on a personal level. b) You know that you can call on the help of people that is supportive and accommodating. c) You will gain access to research and educational resources and remain up to date with developments in the world of genealogy. d) You get the opportunity to go on outings to sites of genealogical significance and listen to experts in the research field. e) Benefits include discount on genealogy books, DVDs and CDs. GSSA offers various projects: 1. <http://www.genza.org.za/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=44%3A cemetery-recording-project&layout=default&Itemid=181&lang=en> Cemetery Recording Project ( 5 Articles ) 2. <http://www.genza.org.za/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=37%3A gssa-google-earth-cemetery-initiative&layout=default&Itemid=182&lang=en> GSSA Google Earth Cemetery Initiative ( 6 Articles ) 3. <http://www.genza.org.za/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=38%3A 1984-voters-roll&layout=default&Itemid=296&lang=en> 1984 Voter's Roll ( 1 Article ) 4. <http://www.genza.org.za/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=69%3A funeral-programs&layout=default&Itemid=297&lang=en> Funeral Programs ( 2 Articles ) 5. <http://www.genza.org.za/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=118%3 Achurch-photographs&layout=default&Itemid=298&lang=en> Church Photographs ( 1 Article ) 6. <http://www.genza.org.za/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=119%3 Acape-masters-office-death-notice-index&layout=default&Itemid=300&lang=en> Cape Master's Office Death Notice Index ( 1 Article ) The digitization of the Cape Death Notice Index was a project undertaken by GSSA many years ago. The searchable database will appear on our website soon. GSSA offers various publications (Plural). These are: 1. Familia. (Yes, just the one.) http://www.genza.org.za/index.php?option=com_content <http://www.genza.org.za/index.php?option=com_content&view=section&id=19&Ite mid=1&lang=en> &view=section&id=19&Itemid=1&lang=en For some peculiar reason the newsletters of each branch do not count as publications of GSSA. Consequently they are not listed on the publications page. East Cape Branch publishes a quarterly journal called "Chronicles." eGGSA does not mention on the GSSA web page that it has a newsletter, Genesis. It does offer eGGSA Downloads, of which Newsletter 2011 no 2 yields the Western Cape Newsletter. The page for the Free State Branch does not mention that it publishes a newsletter, Maiores. http://www.genza.org.za/index.php?option=com_content <http://www.genza.org.za/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=b log&id=56&Itemid=292&lang=en> &view=category&layout=blog&id=56&Itemid=292&lang=en The Northern Transvaal Branch does not mention a newsletter on the web site. The North West Branch does not mention its newsletter, Famnea. The West Gauteng branch does mention its newsletter, West Gauteng News. The Western Cape branch does mention its newsletter, Western Cape newsletter, but it does not mention its quarterly journal, Capensis. I also discovered another list of benefits of membership at http://www.eggsa.org/benefits_e.htm The Benefits of Membership! Genealogy will put you on fascinating paths where you will learn not only about your ancestors, but also about your history and culture. By joining eGSSA you become part of the genealogical community at large. Membership will bring you the following: · Stay up to date with genealogical developments with four issues of eFamilia, the official journal of the <http://www.ggsa.info/> Genealogical Society of South Africa (GSSA), and four issues of genesis, the eGSSA newsletter · Refine your research skills with our learning resources · Save at the eGSSA Bookstore where you will find useful CD products and other publications · You can complete your application on-line and submit it via the Internet · For those people who are not currently GSSA members, or cannot join a current branch, this is an ideal opportunity to become part of GSSA and to step into this exciting era. · Members of the GSSA can use our online shop to order photographs <http://www.eggsa.org/sales/help_archive_docs.htm> of documents in three repositories of the South African Archives, those in Bloemfontein, Pietermaritzburg, Cape Town and Pretoria at a special price. NB. The Cape Town Archives Repository has banned mechanical copying by any means of documents in their care. The KAB offers its own copying service (printed, not digital, copies). We cannot, therefore, accept any orders for KAB documents. We are still offering this service for documents from the Bloemfontein, Pietermaritzburg and Pretoria Archive repositories. Please see our <http://www.eggsa.org/sales/help_archive_docs.htm> FAQ for the details of this service. eGSSA is an indispensable resource for genealogists and family historians seeking research guidance, publications and materials, and opportunities to interact with others who share the same interest TO SUM UP, FOR ABOUT R150 GSSA OFFERS MEMBERSHIP, FAMILIA AND ONE BRANCH JOURNAL OR NEWSLETTER AND YOU CAN BUY BOOKS AND CDS, IF YOU PAY EXTRA AND ACCESS TO THE OTHER NEWSLETTERS AND JOURNALS, IF YOU PAY EXTRA AND PHOTOS OF DOCUMENTS IN SOME ARCHIVES, IF YOU PAY EXTRA AND ACCESS TO THE 1984 VOTERS ROLL, IF YOU PAID EXTRA. eGSSA OFFERS VARIOUS UTTERLY VALUABLE TRANSCRIPTIONS, IMAGES OF GRAVESTONES ETC, BUT NOTHING ON THE SCALE OF ANCESTRY24. ____________________________________________________ Ancestry24 should now be examines to see what you get for your R395. AVAILABLE DATABASES Ancestry24 is the most comprehensive online information source for South African family history. Here is a list of just some of our databases, which grow daily. <http://ancestry24.com/collection-type/?id=379> Birth records 14,000+ records from various registers covering 1895 - 1921 <http://ancestry24.com/collection-type/?id=384> Baptism records 1000,000+ records from 1600's until the 1950's <http://ancestry24.com/collection-type/?id=352> Death Notice records Over 5,000 in a growing collection <http://ancestry24.com/collection-type/?id=388> Burials 50,000+ from various parish records and cemeteries <http://ancestry24.com/collection-type/?id=394> Marriage records >From Namaqualand, Eastern Cape, Johannesburg, Cape and Natal <http://ancestry24.com/collection-type/?id=380> Passenger records 50,000+ recorded persons travelling between England and South Africa Government Gazettes Legal announcements of deceased persons in South Africa 1992 - current <http://ancestry24.com/collection-type/?id=377> Deceased Estates Index 500,000+ individuals from the Transvaal and Cape from 1838 - 1900's <http://ancestry24.com/collection-type/?id=368> Cape Almanacs Lists of Inhabitants of the Cape 1813 - 1891 <http://ancestry24.com/collection-type/?id=371> Military various records including indexes to Anglo Boer War, Rhodesian Rebellion and Boer War Prisoners in Bermuda Newspaper Domestic Announcements Daily birth, marriage, death notices from national newspapers 2005 - current Ancestry24 offers ten times better value for money than GSSA. Johan, if you are a prudent pensioner, dont waste your meagre resources on GSSA, invest them where you get a better return: at Ancestry24. Regards, Francois _____________ Francois Greeff, 36 Aston Road, London, SW20 8BE, United Kingdom Phone: 0044 20 8123 4224. Mobile 0044 79 6372 2345. Skype: Greefffrancois. Greeff Family Web Site: www.Greeff.info -----Original Message----- From: Johan Dorey-Venter [mailto:doreyventer@gmail.com] Sent: 04 December 2011 21:31 To: south-africa-eastern-cape@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [ZA-EC] eGGSA South African Passenger List Project Trixie and Francois, Some of us, having to live on a meagre pension in South Africa, actually find Ancestry24 subscription prohibitively expensive. >From my Christmas bonus, I could at least treat myself to a GSSA membership. With the result that at least I am grateful for getting something for free! R395, paid in british £'s is cheap, in South Africa it feeds the average pensioner for 4 weeks. Johan. ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to <mailto:SOUTH-AFRICA-EASTERN-CAPE-request@rootsweb.com> SOUTH-AFRICA-EASTERN-CAPE-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message ----- No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - <http://www.avg.com> www.avg.com Version: 2012.0.1873 / Virus Database: 2102/4656 - Release Date: 12/04/11