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Archiver > GENEALOGY-DNA > 2007-01 > 1167977360


From: Adrian Williams <>
Subject: Re: [DNA] Surname Challenges - FTDNA on the Case
Date: Fri, 05 Jan 2007 00:09:20 -0600
References: <000d01c73067$6689f370$6500a8c0@dell>
In-Reply-To: <000d01c73067$6689f370$6500a8c0@dell>


David,

You said....

"Beyond the assumptions, what really gets me is all this talk about "sharing"
and "helping others" from Project Admins who do not include participants
from other testing companies in their Projects for various reasons. Please
forgive my ignorance if I am mistaken and I take it back if I am, but
looking at the WILLIAMS DNA Project website
(http://williams.genealogy.fm/dna_project.php), I see only a link to order
kits from FTDNA and FTDNA customers profiles. (It's a gorgeous website by
the way! I would join if I were a WILLIAMS). If the WILLIAMS DNA Project
were truly about helping other WILLIAMS it would not be exclusive to one
company. Are the WILLIAMS who tested with DNAH, RG, etc. not worthy?"

First, thank you very much for the compliment on the website...Lord
knows I have spent many, many hours on it and it's content.

On the flip side, I must say that I don't appreciate what certainly
comes across to me as a personal attack on my efforts with the Williams
project and a not so subtle attempt to call me a hypocrite. There is
clearly a difference between constructive criticism and plain old
lashing out....and your final comments fall very short of constructive.

Just so we're clear,

I have regularly perused all of the testing company portals for the
last few years now, always on the lookout for Williams testers...for the
longest time, none of the other testing companies besides FTDNA would
even publish the information about which surnames were being tested with
their company. Finally, after a long while, Relative Genetics finally
started publishing their surname information and I even discovered a
couple of Williams testers using their product and got in touch with
them, inviting them to the Williams project....they declined, citing
their knowledge that they were a small group of documented relation who
had a known adoption event and that their true surname wasn't Williams.

I continue to this day to monitor all of the available outlets for
the testing companies as well as ySearch, constantly looking for "lost
sheep", and regardless of which lab they have tested with, I offer them
participation in our project. Long ago, the MEMBERS OF THE PROJECT
decided to use FTDNA as the primary testing resource for the Williams
project, due to the fact that (at least back in Jan 2003) they were the
only one's who were being open about participation. I have only carried
out their wishes with the solitary testing company indicated on the
website as FTDNA. You will also notice an utter lack of anything saying
that ONLY FTDNA kits are acceptable. The fact that all of the kits in
the project are FTDNA kits does not mean that we only endorse FTDNA,
rather it's indicative of the fact that I rarely find Williams surnamed
testers with the other companies.

And to further flesh out my dedication to this endeavor (which I
find rather strange that I have to defend here), I have even delayed the
availability of my project admin software because I felt it necessary to
make sure it fully supported all testing labs and kits out of the
starting gate instead of a phased approach as originally planned.

As I close, I would ask please sir, in the future, please refrain
from this type of incendiary commenting of your fellow list members.
This type of alienation is most definitely not in the spirit of
genealogy and this online community.

Kind regards,
Adrian

Adrian Williams
Williams DNA Project Administrator
http://williams.genealogy.fm/
http://www.dna-pat.com/


David Weston wrote:
> Bill, Adrian and others,
>
> Motivated by this discusion thread to enquire, I have been reassured by
> FTDNA that they will not alter their current privacy policy in any way. I
> have great trust in and respect for the people there so am satisfied that
> there is nothing for me to be concerned with. Fortunately, FTDNA is smart
> enough to keep their customers interests as their top priority not those of
> overzealous Project Admins.
>
> I continue to disagree with some of the other points raised in this and
> related threads as they rely on assumptions that are too often incorrect. I
> will pick on those Bill made below though no personal disrespect is
> intended.
>
> 1. This whole conversation is about helping folks by "bringing them into a
> surname project where they can be helped"
>
> This assumes the person's research goals are shared by the surname Project
> Admin and they want or need help in the first place. Surname projects are
> virtually useless for NPEs. Perhaps they are only interested in their deep
> and ancient ancestry, as many Genographic Participants are, and aren't
> interested the genetics of their surname.
>
> 2. FTDNA could give them the option of joining a Surname project ... to
> helped by a "knowledgeable coordinator".
>
> This assumes the Project Admin is knowledgeable. From my own personal
> experience I can definitely say this is not always the case. I started my
> own surname project despite the existence of another because the Admin did
> not have a clue what he was doing nor could even be contacted to offer
> assistance. FTDNA will allow any customer to start their own Project, no
> questions asked. I have seen evidence of equally unknowledgeable Project
> Admins for other surname Projects through my East Anglia Project. I am very
> proud to say that many of East Anglia Project participants have benefited
> more from my assistance than they ever have from their respective surname
> Project Admins. But I am biased :-)
>
> Beyond the assumptions, what really gets me is all this talk about "sharing"
> and "helping others" from Project Admins who do not include participants
> from other testing companies in their Projects for various reasons. Please
> forgive my ignorance if I am mistaken and I take it back if I am, but
> looking at the WILLIAMS DNA Project website
> (http://williams.genealogy.fm/dna_project.php), I see only a link to order
> kits from FTDNA and FTDNA customers profiles. (It's a gorgeous website by
> the way! I would join if I were a WILLIAMS). If the WILLIAMS DNA Project
> were truly about helping other WILLIAMS it would not be exclusive to one
> company. Are the WILLIAMS who tested with DNAH, RG, etc. not worthy?
>
> I'll step down from my soapbox now before I start ranting if I haven't
> already.
>
> Cheers, David Weston.
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From:
> [mailto:] On Behalf Of Lowe DNA
> Sent: January 4, 2007 6:46 PM
> To:
> Subject: Re: [DNA] Surname Challenges - FTDNA on the Case
>
> David..
>
> I am sure that FTDNA will retain the privacy of individuals without a doubt.
> This whole conversation is about helping folks by bringing them into a
> surname project where they can be helped. Not a control issue at all.
>
> Each enrollee can they sign up for a DNA test with the "vanilla" enrollment
> form. However, FTDNA make a change and could simply give the enrollee the
> option of not joining the SURNAME project (and paying more for their test)
> and they retain their complete privacy; or, FTDNA could gives them the
> option of joining a Surname project (and get a discount) to helped by a
> knowledgeable coordinator.
>
> And give Bennett and Max the benefit about privacy issues as I am sure they
> are committed to keeping this privacy policy in effect.
>
> And I am sure you will stay with FTDNA with the policy in effect.
>
> Bill
>
>
>
> -------------------------------
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>
>

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