We still need to send sponsor dollars into RootsWeb if we want to make sure
the free information flow continues. Here is the latest from Brian-the real
backbone (with Karen) of the Web.
From Brian Leverich:
That is *not* completely accurate. The sponsorship is *not* completely
dead. Here are more details:
Presumably because of the acquisition, Palladium missed its 1 December
sponsorship payment to RootsWeb.
This has caused some financial difficulties at RootsWeb.
To cover that late payment and new hardware that we need to handle the
after-Christmas flood of new Internet genealogists, Karen and I are
personally responsible for a loan we just took out for about $25,000.
We have recently been assured by folks at both Palladium and Banner Blue /
Broderbund / TLC / Mattel that the sponsorship will continue, but no date
has been set for when we may see payment.
An additional concern is that being sponsored by Banner Blue / Broderbund /
TLC / Mattel, which now controls something like 90% of the market for
comsumer genealogical software and has some serious public relations
problems, is very different than being sponsored by a small company that was
well-regarded by the community and made arguably the world's most advanced
genealogical database software.
So there's a lot of uncertainty at RootsWeb right now, but there's
no cause for panic. One way or another we will continue with our
mission of providing facilities to the Internet genealogical
community at the lowest possible cost. -B
Please help if you can.
Melissa