Fellow S/ACs, The following is an email I received today which makes me think twice about what has gone on with KSGenWeb (?), TNGenWeb, PAGenWeb and IAGenWeb. Please read it then I will add some more comments. >George: What this seems to me is all these folks are saying that no >state can have their own server unless ONE person agrees to pay >for it. That's a pretty big expense for one person. >So that pretty much leaves everyone having to use Rootsweb, >doesn't it? >What Iowa is doing seems to me to be the same thing Rootsweb >used to do when they asked for donations. I don't see the difference >here. Sounds sensible to me. The results of the straw poll of the past few days is hard to analyze. A reasonable number of respondents said that they felt IAGenWeb was not acting in the best interest of USGWP. But that was before some found out that other states had already started soliciting money. Another reasonable number of respondents said they had concerns about putting all our resources on Rootsweb servers and that soliciting funds should be considered. Several mentioned changing the bylaws. This is my latest thinking. We (the USGWP) should not encourage states to start their own servers, but if they do so they should take the strictist care to not mess up on soliciting funds. However.... we should amend the bylaws to say that CCs/LCs/TCs may NOT solicit funds for whatever reason; including using their own server. I won't ask a straw poll since the great plurality of SC's and ASC's did not respond to the last poll which leads me to believe that there is not a lot of concern about this subject. Respectfully, George