STATE-COORD-L Archives
Archiver > STATE-COORD > 2008-03 > 1204840117
From: "Debra Beheler" <>
Subject: Re: [STATE-COORD] [MSGEN] Announcement: USGenWebProjectsiteshosted on TGN/RW ("RootsWeb")
Date: Thu, 6 Mar 2008 16:48:37 -0500
References: <007101c87fc5$99cbe320$6401a8c0@DFWQ8BB1><000a01c87fd2$32838940$339a7c41@Mitchell>
In-Reply-To: <000a01c87fd2$32838940$339a7c41@Mitchell>
Bravo! Karen,
That was very well stated. As SC of Indiana, I have been offering some
alternatives and ASC Sharon is very supportive in this as well. We are
honoring the opinions and feelings of all our CCs.
BTW, I don't know the "how to catch wild brush hogs" story.
Debby
-----Original Message-----
From:
[mailto:] On Behalf Of Karen
Sent: Thursday, March 06, 2008 4:37 PM
To:
Subject: Re: [STATE-COORD] [MSGEN] Announcement: USGenWeb Projectsiteshosted
on TGN/RW ("RootsWeb")
Hi all,
I have watched this discussion with interest, and would like to comment.
Does anyone remember the story about how to catch wild brush hogs? I think
it's very applicable to this issue in our organization. I won't repeat it
here, but if you don't know it, I will be happy to tell it to you, just
email me. When you just keep giving up little tiny bits at a time, pretty
soon, it's ALL gone. One can look at this project historically and see how
over the years more and more has been taken away. When's it going to stop?
Yes, I think our AB and members can be thankful for the space that
RW/Ancestry/TGN has allowed us to use over the years. That was and has been
nice of them. But let's face facts, big business is not going to continually
give something away without finding an avenue to solely benefit them. Look
at the big corporations in our nation, how many of them are giving away
assets simply to be nice? And web space IS an asset.
But even in the real business life, if a partnership is no longer amenable
to both parties, it's time to part ways. We don't have to be nasty or angry.
We just have to thank them for the space they allowed us to use over the
years, and then tell them "I'm sorry this just doesn't work for us anymore,
and we wish you the very best."
Once Rootsweb sold out to Ancestry, it has been a conflict of interest for
this project to remain on their server. They are interested in pay-per-view
genealogy while our main goal has been free access genealogy. They want to
make money from the genealogical hobby, we want to provide free data simply
because we love doing it. How can two opposing goals ever coincide? They
can't. By putting their banner on our sites, they are indicating we are in
partnership with them. Simple fact, we are not. Our goals simply do not
match up.
The USGenWeb Project is a "stand alone" project by the very nature of what
we do. We can not co-habitate with a pay-per-view that is slowly and
gradually taking over the very sites our volunteers have developed. What
makes our AB or any member think that we can't possibly exist on private
websites and still uphold the integrity of our Project? I'm sorry I haven't
seen a viable reason yet as to why we should remain on the TGN server. Cost?
I would venture to say most of you pay more for sodas every month.
And for those of you SC's or your CC's, don't be afraid to step out and put
your pages on a private server. It does not cost that much per year and you
will be so much happier with the arrangement. My county sites have been on
my domain for several years and I'm happy with that arrangement. You can
obtain server space for around $5.00 per month. It's up to the State
Coordinators to assist their CC's in removing their sites from TGN. Or to at
least let them know what their options are.
Someone please explain to me what the big "insecurity issue" about moving
our sites, because I simply can't see the problem. And if it would ever go
to a vote, I'd definitely vote to move the project. It's up to our elected
officers to move this project forward and to reassure everyone that we can
stand on our own.
Thanks for listening.
Karen Mitchell
ASC New Mexico
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