GEN-DE-L Archives

Archiver > GEN-DE > 1996-10 > 0845438679


From: WalterH796 <>
Subject: Re: SCHMIDT
Date: Wed, 16 Oct 1996 00:04:39 -0400


> I think most questions that make sense are always welcome here. Some
> questions simply do not make sense for a genealogist to ask. Let's say
> I'm looking for Jones or Smith in the US. I really should have enough
> sense not ask for 'any Jones or Smith in the US', right? On the other
> hand if I asked this question: 'I have Jones, Harry in 1865 in Boston.
> He seems to have had a son named Charles and may have moved to San
> Diego etc etc' - anything at all to pin point something about whom we
> are looking for. If I needed an answer to the above I would not ask
> for any Jones in the US, right?

> Questions which make no sense, repeated month after month, year after
> year do get on my nerves too. Somehow a little common sense is
> required to do family research. I think that is all any one asks for.

> We need to remember that people take of their own time and usually
> their own money to read these notes. To ask questions with a little
> thought behind them should not be too much to ask.

> Fred

I agree. I have always agreed.

But there are ways to correct people besides intimidation.

I believe that the proper response would have been to ask that future
questions be
more specific (not quote FAQ's like a lawyer quotes the law). And more
importantly, you should offer up what info you may have. What does it
matter if
it is not relevant to the asker ? Are we trying to do genealogy or are
we trading
info like baseball cards???

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