APG-L Archives

Archiver > APG > 1999-12 > 0944579016


From: "Chad R. Milliner" <>
Subject: Re: [APG] CD Reviews, etc.
Date: Tue, 7 Dec 1999 08:03:36 -0700


I see a potential problem with a free website in which anyone can contribute
a review of any CD product. What if the criticism is wrong? Who would take
responsibility to vet the reviews and remove inaccurate information? Newbie
users of a product might think that something is wrong when all they really
need to do is read the documentation.

I completely agree that if the APG has an anonymous board that spends a lot
of their time in testing, then they should be compensated for that from fees
charged to the CD producers. As I mentioned in my earlier post, I think
that if a CD product is granted a seal, then as a required part of that seal
would be a URL to the APG website where people could go to see the full
critique of the product, warts and all. This would list any known
deficiencies that were not judged to be serious enough to warrant witholding
the seal.

To combine the two ideas, APG could allow anyone to e-mail newly discovered
problems with the CD-ROM to the testing committee. The committee could then
evaluate the problem, and if found to be genuine, then add that information
to that product's website. This additional expense could be funded by a
small fee APG could require the manufacturers to pay for each CD they
produced -- there would be one large fee for the testing, and then a very
small continuing fee for each CD produced. And as to how we could audit
them, I am not sure. Maybe APG could supply the manufacturers with a
physical seal that would be actually stuck on to each product made. APG
would know how many seals were sent, so they would know how much to ask for
when the manufacturer said they needed more seals.

By the way, is the APG logo a registered trademark or service mark? If it
is not, it should be. The cost is not that high.


----- Original Message -----
From: Helen S. Ullmann <>
To: <>
Sent: Monday, December 06, 1999 10:00 PM
Subject: [APG] CD Reviews, etc.


> What a terrific discussion!
>
> I really like the idea of a website. It would be great if Cyndi's list
> had a category called CD Reviews or something like that. I like the
> idea of an e-mail like genforum type website where comments can be
> added.
>
> That seems a lot simpler than setting up an elaborate review program.
> (But then I don't know beans about establishing a website <g>)
>
> Lots of us are editors or know editors. We can write reviews and
> reviews and reviews and grant permission for reprinting them right in
> the text.
>
> We can also write letters to the producers and marketers of the CDs.
> Send them copies of our reviews.
>
> Yes, if they just had detailed information in the introductions on the
> CDs it would help. Sometimes they are very helpful. Other times they
> are decidedly not.
>
> Unfortunately a great many beginning genealogists don't belong to
> organizations and don't read journals and newsletters.
>
> So we need a two-pronged (or many-pronged) approach.
>
> Isn't it really basically the same old problem? Newbies find it very
> difficult to grasp the need for careful documentation. Evidently the
> producers of many of the CDs are newbies.
> --
> Helen S. Ullmann, CG
> Specializing in Southern New England and Norwegian genealogy research
> 713 Main St.
> Acton, MA 01720-4802
>
>
> ==== APG Mailing List ====
> The Association of Professional Genealogists
> ************* 1979 to 1999 *****************
> Celebrating 20 years of excellence!
>
>

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