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Archiver > CALVERT > 1998-04 > 0892302991


From: "Charlene Pinkowski" <>
Subject: [CALVERT-L] Fw: GENEALOGICAL SUICIDE
Date: Sat, 11 Apr 1998 09:56:31 -0400


Dear Calvert's

Something to ponder that just came today to my e-mail inbox. I am not the only one to be expressing grave concerns. This author discusses the problems in greater depth and proposes solutions. It is worthy of consideration.
-----Original Message-----
From: David H. Smith, Sr. <>
To: <>; <>; <>; <>; <>; <>; <>; <>; <>; <>; <>; <>; <>; <>; <>; <>; <>; <>; <>; padauphi-h!
!
<>; <>; <>; <>; <>; <>; <>; <>; <>; <>; <>; <>; <>; <>; <>; <>; <>; <>; <>; pano!
!
<>;
<>; <>; <>; <>; <>; <>; <>; <>; <>; <>; <>; <>; <>; <>; <>
Date: Saturday, April 11, 1998 9:41 AM
Subject: GENEALOGICAL SUICIDE

>To all genealogists,
>
> I have been very concerned lately about the destruction of our hobby. The
>fate of genealogy is being written as we speak and it is in your hands to
>stop it.
>
>WHY THIS SUDDEN ALARM?
>
> Our data is being destroyed by two cancers known as "CUT AND PASTE" and
>"MERGE".
>
>ONLINE GENEALOGY
>
> I began my online genealogy in 1981, the reason for purchase of my first
>computer. Soon after I reasoned that if I could just afford that 3MB hard
>drive at Radio Shack for only $5000.00 my problems would be over, now at
>6GB I am running out of space. I used to prowl around courthouse attics and
>weed covered graveyards to uncover a choice treasure now and then with
>great anticipation and joy. Now I can get a hundred times more info in an
>hour or two. So much so I haven't even had the time to read most of it, let
>alone put it into my own database. Which leads me to my point.
>
>CUT AND PASTE
>
> Being involved in keeping a Family Website, I get many requests for
>information, and some criticism as well. There are two camps. One thinks
>every fact needs to be on the Two Tablets Moses brought down from the
>mountains. The other thinks that if it is in ASCII it's proof enough. I
>have submitted my own tree to the WFT Project, most of which was my own
>work. Hoping to find corroborating works I check other trees often, only to
>discover my own work pasted into someone else's tree.
>
>THIS PRACTICE IS DESTROYING ONLINE GENEALOGY.
>
>FIRST, it gives undue validity. When one piece of erroneous information
>becomes 1000 pieces of the same erroneous information, it takes on a life
>of it's own and an enearned "truth".
>SECOND, it clutters up the internet search engines with hundreds of links
>to the same bogus info. When someone does try to verify a fact, they can't
>wade through the countless references.
>THIRD, file sizes are increased to the point of unmanageablility with the
>same, tired, redundant information, even when true. This makes sharing
>impractical.
>FOURTH, it discourages people with genuinely obtained first generation info
>from releasing it.
>FIFTH, if carried to it's logical conclusion, everyone will have the same
>file. All of them wrong.
>SIXTH, it makes compiling huge trees all too easy.
>SEVENTH, it makes it impossible to tell whether you are seeing a
>corroborating opinion of your data or a repeat of it.
>
>EXAMPLES
>
>Great database services, like GENSERV and the World Family Tree project,
>although well conceived and of great potential, are being ruined by well
>meaning genealogists who seed them with redundant information gathered from
>those very same databases.
>
>Private websites, including my own, have been swamped by large file sizes
>which are largely repeat information. (This was a result of my own policy,
>which I have rethought, so no criticism intended)
>
>Believe it or not I have been offered "Family Trees" in excess of 75 MB and
>over 125,000 names. I foolishly submitted some trees to add to this pile of
>spaghetti.
>
>WHAT CAN WE DO?
>
> I propose creating a guide for online genealogists. A compilation of
>voluntary "rules of the road". Netiquette for the Genealogist.
>
> To this end I am offering a few sample suggestions of my own to get the
>ball rolling. Please send your comments, criticisms, suggestions, pros and
>cons to me personally. (I do not subscribe to ALL the lists above) After
>compilation of the ideas, I will submit them for a vote. Success will be
>determined by the level of participation. Please submit ideas by April 24th.
>
>SUGGESTIONS
>
> If you have undocumented info to share, state that it is speculation. If
>you receive that information, paste it into your own file if you choose,
>but DO NOT redistribute it with your file. Instead, keep it as a separate
>entity.
>
> As a general rule, do not combine other people's data with your own files
>that you redistribute. Keep a file for your eyes only and another for
>distribution. Distribute only work which you have done yourself from
>primary sources, or have independently verified from primary sources. Do
>not simply pass along someone else's data because they have it documented
>either.
>
> Do everyone a favor and pass along transcripts of primary documents.
>
> If you find documents or trees on a website, download and keep it because
>it may evaporate unexpectedly, but do not redistribute it. Instead, if
>someone asks for it, check on it's availability and send them a link.
>
>SAMPLE SUBJECTS AND CATEGORIES
>
> Etiquette; File contamination avoidance; Source Documentation; Passing on
>other's data under what conditions; Submission to databases; Merging trees;
>Merging scraps of data; Requesting info; Providing info; Submissions to
>redundant websites or databases; Should we pass secondary info at all or
>just the source?; How about an unlinked but searchable family group sheet
>database, each submitted sheet required to be nearly complete and well
>sourced, and containing parents and children of the husband and wife? Any
>interest in an online index of primary documents with the cost of
>membership being to submit one?
>
>SEND ME YOUR IDEAS
>
>Thank you for your time,
>Dave
>
>THE KEYSTONE PROJECT - A PENNSYLVANIA CARD CATALOG of GENEALOGY FILES
>In it's infancy, please help! http://www.stonecabin.com/keystone
>__________________________________________________________________________
>David H. Smith, Sr. Bensinger Family Genealogy
> http://www.stonecabin.com/bensinger
>

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