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From:
Subject: [DearMYRTLE-L] Readers' Feedback: SPAM E-Mail Offer
Date: Tue, 31 Oct 2000 07:47:08 EST

DearMYRTLE's DAILY GENEALOGY COLUMN
Readers' Feedback: SPAM E-Mail Offer

DearREADERS,
Let's make it clear that I do NOT condone the site mentioned in my column:
http://www.dearmyrtle.com/00/1029.htm

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YOUR COMMENTS FROM MY MESSAGE BOARD:
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Peggy <> on Sun, 29 Oct 2000, in response to "Spam" E-Mail
Offer, posted by Myrt on Sun, 29 Oct 2000

DearMYRTLE,
I just read with interest your note regarding the site
www.familydiscovery.com. This site has been circulating around the USGenWeb
lists quite a bit lately. From what others in the USGenWeb project have
experienced is that their databases are actually ours!

They have taken information from USGenWeb sites (and possibly others),
surrounded them in frames, and ask for payment to access these already free
elsewhere databases. By using the frames on their site, when you click on the
link to the database, you do not have any indication of where you are
actually being taken to - as just their URL is showing in the title bar yet.

It has been suggested that we add some coding to our pages that allow users
to break away from frames and/or add a disclaimer about the works we present
on our sites to let the unknowing and unsuspecting user know that they could
access the same information they are viewing for free. Also suggested was
adding the URL to each of our physical pages so that this information would
not be encompassed into the frame game.

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Posted by Dennis Reiley <> on Sun, 29 Oct 2000
Regarding your heads up to the possible scam website. I checked it out. IT'S
LEGAL! It contains the following Disclaimer:

• FamilyDiscovery.com pages contains EXTERNAL links which are not owned or
maintained by Family Discovery.

This is merely a search engine that takes you directly to the information
skipping all the time consuming steps

• This page does not necessarily contain a COMPLETE list of all online
information, but merely for which records have been currently located online
to compile this genealogical search engine.

• We are still currently searching for records online to add to our linking
database.

Myrt, this is going to be a really big problem! The disclaimer clarifies what
they do and makes it all legal. While you may consider the fees a bargain, I
do not, although if Ancestry.com ever made that same offer I'd jump at it.
The price of many subscriptions is what keeps me away from them. I consider
most subscription prices oriented to the professional and the rich. They're
just too expensive for most of us poor family searchers.

This site is charging for locating free information online. Valuable only if
you don't know how to search. What troubles me is some of those links may
lead to free content on Rootsweb and other places. They may also be the
owners of other sites posting information they purchased, with all the free
web pages available, a real possibility]and thus in violation of copyright
laws. If so it may be the only grounds to legally shut them down. These
people are starting a business in which they intend to be around a long time.
Their initial fee is like a founder's policy from a new insurance company. A
means of getting operating funds until their client base gets big enough to
be self-sustaining.

As a professional genealogist you are aware of the names of those who should
be warned of this site as it will take funds away from the reputable sites.
On behalf of most of us please send those reputable sites a heads up.

DearDENNIS,
YES, I sent a copy of my column via e-mail to every reputable genealogy
database site I could think of, in addition to CC to the webmaster of the
site in question, the NGS President, etc. -- It irks the heck out of me when
I see one fee-based site providing links to legit free and fee-based
genealogy sites. I believe most researchers would rather LEARN how to go to
the good web sites, than pay $59 and trust someone else to make all the
proper web links.

Aren't we responsible for educating ourselves on the subject of sound online
genealogy research principles?

As far as fees are concerned, I still believe that some web sites should
charge for access to databases that are expensive to compile, and are
available on CD format. My subscription fee to FamilyTree Maker is roughly
the cost of purchasing 2 genealogy CDs from them. Please see:The Internet,
Genealogists & The Future by , © 1998, Heritage Quest
Magazine, Cover Story, Nov/Dec 98, which discusses my feelings about the
costs of running web sites and libraries.

http://www.dearmyrtle.com/my981203.htm

Myrt :)
DearMYRTLE,
Daily Genealogy Columnist
AOL Keyword: roots or myrtle
www.DearMYRTLE.com
--------------------------------
copyright 2000. All rights reserved.
An easier-to-read web version of this column appears at:
www.DearMYRTLE.com/00/1030.htm

To post a message on this topic, go to Myrt's Message Board located at:
http://cgi.rootsweb.com/~genbbs/genbbs.cgi/Special/DearMYRTLE

Can't Click? Copy and paste URL (web address) to your web browser.

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