Hello all, Thank you very much for the response. I will try to get back to each as soon as I can. A few points, please forgive me: LDS/IGI, from what I have read, has not recently been perceived as the most reliable source for a number of reasons. I have used the resource quite extensively and found it a good starter. I don't know why the qualification, (well I do have an idea)!! GENUKI, ROOTSWEB, AUS BDM et al. I agree we have all probably looked at. ROOTSWEB - I made a couple of lucky hits because of the uniqueness of the names I was researching. Forgive me USA, but I spent a long time searching family names because I did not think I could miss any opportunity to follow up my names. Unfortunately, and I think there will be a fair number of peeps who will agree with me, there a number of individuals who have posted so many versions of their Tree (and the others that 'Borrow' from them) that they clog up the system. Does anyone know where I can ask to get some of the dross cleared out? David ----- Original Message ----- From: David Thomson To: WALLACE-L@rootsweb.com ; THOMSON-L@rootsweb.com ; SCT-KIRKCUDBRIGHTSHIRE-L@rootsweb.com ; SCT-FIFE-L@rootsweb.com ; SALMON-L@rootsweb.com ; PATON-L@rootsweb.com ; MCCUBBIN-L@rootsweb.com ; MCCLINTOCK-L@rootsweb.com ; DUMFRIES-GALLOWAY-L@rootsweb.com ; AUS-NSW-L@rootsweb.com ; ABERDEEN-L@rootsweb.com Sent: Wednesday, February 02, 2005 4:20 PM Subject: Genealogy search question!?! Hello all lists, I have no wish to tread on any toes, nor to offend the very many people who have invested years of, and money on, research on their family lines, and I am very thankful to those who have contributed. If there was not so much interest I would not have been able to progress my searches so quickly and so accurately. While I do enjoy the 'almost personal' contact (and I have found distant 'cousins' round the world), I have wondered why there seems to be no central repository for genealogy. There are many sites doing their business - but, not to my mind, helping genealogists doing theirs. I started my research in about March last year, and probably appear as a mere whippersnapper, but I would appreciate some feedback. This is not meant as a flame. One of my most important thoughts was that should/could there be a genealogy site where beginners could gain access to a portal covering "all" the basics? I could go on, but, hopefully, you get the gist of my message. David Thomson, Surrey, England

The most important advice I would give anyone new to Genealogy is to take down where you got your information, what the individual source is even if it isn't your family history. If it's a person over the internet copy down their email address to the document cause you may find something later you would like to relate back to them. When I could not give what book I got my info from the guy told me there are three rules to doing Genealogy and that was Document Document Document...... Now that is also my rules.. lol Good Luck on your historical journey and don't forget the Volunteers that do Lookups. They are the greatest. My motto: If you need a friend, talk to anyone do Genealogy they are the friendliest people you'll find anywhere. Jane > ----- Original Message ----- > From: David Thomson > To: WALLACE-L@rootsweb.com ; THOMSON-L@rootsweb.com ; SCT-KIRKCUDBRIGHTSHIRE-L@rootsweb.com ; SCT-FIFE-L@rootsweb.com ; SALMON-L@rootsweb.com ; PATON-L@rootsweb.com ; MCCUBBIN-L@rootsweb.com ; MCCLINTOCK-L@rootsweb.com ; DUMFRIES-GALLOWAY-L@rootsweb.com ; AUS-NSW-L@rootsweb.com ; ABERDEEN-L@rootsweb.com > Sent: Wednesday, February 02, 2005 4:20 PM > Subject: Genealogy search question!?! > > > Hello all lists, > > I have no wish to tread on any toes, nor to offend the very many people who have invested years of, and money on, research on their family lines, and I am very thankful to those who have contributed. If there was not so much interest I would not have been able to progress my searches so quickly and so accurately. > > While I do enjoy the 'almost personal' contact (and I have found distant 'cousins' round the world), I have wondered why there seems to be no central repository for genealogy. There are many sites doing their business - but, not to my mind, helping genealogists doing theirs. > > I started my research in about March last year, and probably appear as a mere whippersnapper, but I would appreciate some feedback. > > This is not meant as a flame. > > One of my most important thoughts was that should/could there be a genealogy site where beginners could gain access to a portal covering "all" the basics? > > I could go on, but, hopefully, you get the gist of my message. > > David Thomson, > Surrey, England > > > > > -- > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. > Version: 7.0.300 / Virus Database: 265.8.1 - Release Date: 1/27/05 > > -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. Version: 7.0.300 / Virus Database: 265.8.1 - Release Date: 1/27/05

> I have wondered why there seems to be no > central repository for genealogy. Basically because this would cost money - and who's going to fund it. (sheesh people gripe about paying for ancestry.com like it doesn't cost them anything to host the data). And then you have people who don't like the way one company does it so they start doing their thing..etc. voila a conglomeration of data at various sites. There are people out there who do help - many help for free... Cyndi's list is probably one of the best for listing the various resources throughout the world wide web. If you haven't been to her site you should. http://www.cyndislist.com/ btw david are you from Orkney? Just curious in ref to your email name. I know someone who's doing a D-N-A study of the Orkney Islands.