PABERKS-L Archives

From: Lee Widner <>
Subject: Re: [PABERKS] "Urgent" Posts selfishness [An opinion]
Date: Tue, 15 Jan 2002 19:36:40 +0000
References: <200201151101.g0FB1Md02020@lists5.rootsweb.com> <3C443A80.E9BD20F0@neo.rr.com>

An opinion follows.

This type of use of the Rootsweb concept was offensive. It was
most assuredly a deception, highly selfish and a threat to
a genealogy service that is being provided to us 'researchers'
as a [basically] free service.

It was addressed as: [PABERKS] URGENTLY NEEDED:

Nothing urgent about this email

We need help ...

Give me all you have

We would really appreciated it if you shared...

What is this person sharing?

...we need to updated [sic] our list...

Has the person sent out email just to the list
of her surname? Has the person sent out email
just to those searching that group of surnames?

...family newsletter that cost only $5.00 per year...

This is not sharing. Just think...

13000 lists on Rootsweb with conservative average
of 50 researchers per list

13000 x 50 = 650,000

3 percent subscription rate:

19500

times $5.00 per person:

19500 x $5.00 = $97,500 per year [conservatively]

I'd take this 'job', use the infrastructure of Rootsweb
[i.e. no cost] and expend only some time while staying
at home and ...well, you get the idea.


...Just send it[sic] your mailing address

A focused mailing list!! How much would any legit mail
business pay for this?


...huge families, all the remains of their descendants are
the female sides. All the male went back to the States...

We are to assume that the males deserted the females and
messed up the family and now those in America now has an
obligation!


I join a particular list for a particular reason [surname, locality,
etc]. If just a small percentage should decide to utilize the Rootslist
in this manner no good work would survive. There are surely hundreds of
thousands of people on the lists ... all joining to discuss a particular
topic and 'share' work and effort.

This is not good for the "general good" of the list members. Just, as
they say, do the math.

I have no idea of the membership on PABERKS
but say 350. If everyone does as this person
did to PABERKS [and multiple other lists], then
everyone would receive 349 e-mail from each member

349 x 349 = 121801

That's just one list

Now assume that there are a 500 [ the number is
closer to 13,000] different lists on Rootsweb but
I want to be under representing the totals] and
everyone there was merely looking out for their own,
without thinking of the possible consequences...

500 x 120000 = 60,000,000 e-mail
per day total

Cut this in half...

30,000,000 e-mail per day on the system

Or, reduce just it to one percent

600,000 per day

How long to you think Rootsweb could continue to
provide this great service with volumes like that
without any costs to us researchers??

I agree that I've displayed this on the side of the
maximums but if one picked a middle ground or lower
side of the possibilities... the numbers are still
hugh.

Ignoring it is not an option. It's worse than a virus
...which I can stop. Uncontrolled selfishness, I can't.


Regards
Lee Widner
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• Re: [PABERKS] "Urgent" Posts selfishness [An opinion] by Lee Widner <>