/_*Genealogy of Roots Web*_/
Since most of us are genealogists or family historians, I write this to
answer the primary questions I am receiving in “genealogy speak.”
Mailing lists were scattered about the Internet prior to the conception
of Roots Web (ie: AOL, Prodigy, Compuserve, and others)
BIRTH: Sometime in 1996, Karen & Brian Leverich, conceived what it is
now known as Roots Web. Roots Web grew to host uncountable mailing list
of many subjects, surnames, places, etc. These mailing lists were free
to its users/subscribers.
MARRIAGE: June 2000. Roots Web was married (purchased by) Ancestry, Inc.
with prenuptial agreement that mailing list services would remain free.
I believe to be sometime in 2015, our beloved Roots Web began to suffer
health issues. My speculation is outgrew its existence and its host was
unable to keep up without a major and costly overhaul. After a year
plus, Roots Web reopened its doors, but a lot of her faithful
subscribers had lost interest or found other vehicles to convey their
passages of information. During this time, other updates on the Internet
have occurred. These changes have caused some subscribers unable to
participate. Not qualified to expand on this other than to say that some
folks have lost connection with Roots Web,
DEATH: 2 March 2020. Beginning March 2nd, 2020 the Mailing Lists
functionality on RootsWeb will be discontinued. Users will no longer be
able to send outgoing emails or accept incoming emails. Additionally,
administration tools will no longer be available to list administrators
and mailing lists will be put into an archival state.
BURIAL: Archives will be available to peruse. No further information as
to where, how long, or whether a price tag will be added.
Hope this helps.
Susan Penn Groover