GEN-BENELUX-L Archives

Archiver > GEN-BENELUX > 1999-12 > 0944227413


From: "amerckx" <>
Subject: Re: Split BE - NE - LUX ?
Date: Fri, 03 Dec 1999 13:23:33 GMT


On Fri, 03 Dec 1999 07:00:07 GMT "F. van Andel" <>
wrote:

> Why should I write my genealogical questions in English?...

I completely agree with you, Frank. Our Benelux languages are Dutch,
French, German, and even Luxembourgian, and I think that, when
possible, the most relevant language for a specific querry should be
used, according to the region concerned. It probably also gives the
highest chance to get an answer. Nevertheless, posting in English is
welcome as well, because many people outside the Benelux have roots in
our countries and I'm sure that any of us would do his possible to
reply in the same language.

> All contributors to this group should mention the familynames in the subjectline of the message...

Again, I agree 100 %.
As a Belgian, French speaking, living in the Netherlands, and looking
for ancestors mainly in Belgium (centre and south) and in the
Grand-Duchy, I was quite in favour of a split, when the discussion
arised several months ago. But I can understand the reasons why many of
us were against, so I accept the choice of the majority, though it
means for me that 90 or 95 % of the messages must go to the trash.
Especially after a week or two, I have to browse sometimes amongst 2000
postings...

In that former discussion, it had been proposed to implement a system
of "standardized" subject lines, beginning with a country code (NED,
BEL, LUX for example) and always mentionning the surnames searched.
Unfortunately, very few postings conform to such a system now: we still
see too many subjects like "genealogie", "stamboom", "gezocht", "help
needed"... Putting the family name in the subject is a big help: we
only have to look at all the subject and open a message when the name
seems known to us. But adding a country code, and even a province code
when possible, would permit to filter the incoming messages, or to use
the search capabilities of our news viewer. We could imagine several
other "special" codes, like TRA (help for a translation), COM (question
about the computer or a program), OCC (meaning of an occupation), ADD
(looking for an address), etc. Any suggestion is welcome, the list
should not be too limiting.

Because this group is not moderated, we can't compel everyone to use
such a system, and everything won't certainly fit in a frame, but
within a while, most of the regular postings would probably look like
this:

BEL,BRA,Hoeilaart,1830: DENAYER
BEL,NAM,Couvin,1700: RENARD
LUX,Keispelt,1740: BIRCHEN,GRAFF
NED,ZHD,Den Haag,1880: JANSENS
COM: Explorer 5
OCC: daghuurder
ADD/LUX: Mairie de Clervaux

Would it not be easier to browse for everyone ?

Looking further for any comment,

Alain Merckx
(remove one m)
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