Freepages-Help-L Archives
Archiver > Freepages-Help > 2002-11 > 1038672625
From:
Subject: Re: [FreeHelp] Appropriate use of web site enquiry
Date: Sat, 30 Nov 2002 11:10:25 EST
In a message dated 30/11/2002 14:28:46 GMT Standard Time,
writes:
> Do NOT upload MP3, zip, avi, mpg, rm, ram, exe or other similar type files.
> > You may not use your account to upload files for downloading by other
> users.
> > Your FreePages account may not be used for file storage. Violation of
> this
> > rule will cause your account to be deleted without warning.
> ...
>
> I am writing to the Freepages-Help List, to clarify the meaning of the
> above
> paragraph.
>
> I am hoping to provide a library of data for other people researching the
> ten surnames of interest to our family, with emphasis on Irish for several
> and English for others, but also with Canadian, US & Aussie information
> after emigration, too. This amounts to a lot of data, and my genuine hope
> is to help other researchers make their way through the maze that is family
> history research. And, of course, it would be wonderful to make more
> ancestral connections!
>
> As an example, I hope to upload BMD index and Census data for most of the
> ten surnames. This amounts to a lot of data.
>
>
The reason that Freepages are free to us users is that they are paid or by
the advertising banners. Files that have to be downloaded to view cannot have
advertising banners placed on them, so they cannot "pay their way".
One of the reasons that people have their information in zip files and other
download formats on other web sites is that they are limited to the amount of
web space that they can use and download files take up less space. As our
websites at Rootsweb have no size limits, this is something which we don't
have to worry about.
Apart from Rootswebs' rules about download files, you should also be aware
that the Census and Official registration BMD details of your English
ancestors are Crown Copyright (and in the EU data is protected by copyright
laws). The government agencies are quite generous in what they allow us to
publish on our web sites for public viewing - as long as we acknowledge the
source in the appropriate manner and don't profit from their property, but
they are unlikely to agree to data which can only be accessed by downloading
files.
Apart from rules and regulations, there are practical reasons for having your
information available in an open to view format rather than in a download
file.
Firstly search engines will pick up the contents of open files, making it
more likely that distant relations will find you and your information.
Secondly the amount of information that users would want to get from your
site will vary, and many would not want to download reams of information. If
we share a 6th great grandfather, I would want to see lots of details from
your site, and would consider downloading data from it. BUT if your 3rd
cousin twice removed married my fifth cousin in 1900, I would just want the
marriage date or the details from the 1901 census, and would be quite cross
at the thought of having to download a huge file just to get at this snippet.
Regards
Alwyn
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