I for one am more than happy to help anyone I can for anything I have access to. So many people on this List have been wonderful with their assistance to me since joining and when I can, I return the favour. Like many others I cannot afford all the memberships but I do have one with Ancestry. Helping & sharing with others is supposed to be why we join these Lists - isn't it? Go for it Jane, ask away. Marcelle Western Australia

From: "mvs" <mvs5@westnet.com.au> > I for one am more than happy to help anyone I can for anything I > have access to. > So many people on this List have been wonderful with their > assistance to me since joining and when I can, I return the favour. > Like many others I cannot afford all the memberships but I do have > one with Ancestry. Helping & sharing with others is supposed to be why we > join these Lists - isn't it? > Go for it Jane, ask away. > > Marcelle > Western Australia> How many times must I point this out? By asking others to send you census information (especially images) you are inviting them to commit a breach of the licence conditions they accept when purchasing a subscription. I cite the relevant section from Findmypast, whose terms and conditions are quite easily found by clicking on them under the heading "Using the site" on any census results page..... "What you can use the service for: You can only use the website for your own personal non-commercial use, e.g., to research your own family history. We are also happy for you to help out other people with their family history by telling them about records available on the website and how and where they can be found, including showing them anything within our free search results. However, you must not provide them with copies of any of the records (either an original image of the record or the information on the results page), even if you provide them for free. (My underlining). "Use a Corporate package to carry out research for others: If you use your subscription to carry out research for other people (even for free), we reserve the option to stop you using the website and charge you retrospectively at £0.12 per credit for the records you have viewed. If you want to use the website for commercial purposes, you must buy a Corporate package." Now, what could possibly be clearer than that? I refer Listers particularly to the second paragraph, which warns that they can stop you from using the site if you breach the conditions. There seems to be this general and naive assumption about terms and conditions, because few people ever bother to read the small print, that "It doesn't matter because they don't really mean it". But would anyone like to see it tested in court? -- Roy Stockdill Genealogical researcher, writer & lecturer Newbies' Guide to Genealogy & Family History: www.genuki.org.uk/gs/Newbie.html "There is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about." OSCAR WILDE

I posted in a similar vein some time ago and was very quickly made aware of the possible consequences, from many, many sources. I subsequently re-read the conditions associated with Ancestry and all the other sites I belong to, which are as Roy states. Might I suggest Roy, that when you do re-write your "Newbie's Guide" that this point is emphasised in it? There are many ways that one can receive and give help, and I now believe that guidance on how to find the required information for yourself is the best. It is frustrating to state a point only to have it questioned time after time, and I understand how replies can seem somewhat brusque. My feeling is that Roy is trying to help people avoid losing their Ancestry etc. Memberships and though his tone may seem "off key" it is done with good intentions. Pam In sunny (but cold) Queensland