I have been very appreciative of all the information found on the internet, good, bad or different. It is a clue, at least, and something to "consider". I don't think additional restrictions would accomplish anything except restricting the amount of information available. I started my genealogy by taking a basic course. Three things stuck in my mind: 1. Don't be surprised at anything you find 2. Don't assume anything, but search for documentation 3. Document, document, document! And even then, be careful of what you find -- after all, documentation is dependent upon someone and people do make mistakes. At the same time, much documentation is dependent upon information given the documentor by someone else, e.g., census info. You get conflicting info even there. Caveat Emptor. Happy Hunting! Darrell ---- Original Message ----- > Dear Fellow Researchers... > > Throwing this out to all of you to get your opinions..let me hear from you. > > There is so much misinformation on Ancestry, Family Tree Maker, Kindred Konnections, Rootsweb and elsewhere; mostly in submitted gedcoms. I found appalling discrepancies in one particular surname group this morning. And so many people think that because something is in a book written 100 years ago or on the web that it must be true. I have to admit that I was guilty of same when I first began my genealogy work. I learned the hard way. Therefore, I do not post gedcoms on any of the above. I am also appalled that a couple of people have posted "facts" that were only vague suppositions on my part and given ME as the source. I NEVER gave anybody permission to use my name like that. > > I'm in favor of Ancestry, Family Tree Maker, Kindred Konnections, Rootsweb and others requiring primary or at least secondary documented sources before they will allow someone to submit information in a gedcom. I'm in favor of these genealogy programs, which many of us cannot do without in our research, weeding out and deleting the undocumented material; therefore, reducing the tons of misinformation. LDS is just as bad as the above. I had a "cousin" tell me only yesterday that because something was recorded in the LDS it had to be true. Sorry, the reality is that this "fact" is simply not so. > > I am open to any opinions or suggestions. What do you think? > > Sincerely, > > Brownie MacKie