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.
Administrators may save the emails in their list prior to March 2nd. After that, mailing list archives will remain available and searchable on RootsWeb
Jim Wilburn and Grady Clendening said:
"There is an article in this months AARP magazine on genealogy and
DNA....What I want to understand is the downside of having one's DNA fully
exposed to God and possibly many others. Can you expound on that issue? (1)
"I have [sic] understand that there are several levels of DNA testing. So
what are the advantages of each. (2) And lastly, is the report written in
easy to understand
by a lay person? (3)
> I am also interested in what company is providing the service and of
> course the expense involved. I have heard that there are several levels
> of DNA. (4)
Whew! You want a dissertation but I'll do my best. Questions 1-3 I can
answer here for you. (4) will have to be answered privately as Rootsweb.com
has strict rules about what can and cannot be mentioned on one of their
sponsored mailing lists.
(1) What downside? The portion of the DNA strand used for genealogy does not
contain any information which would be of value to anyone but you in
comparison to others who have been tested.
Frankly, Jim, God already knows what your DNA is and I sure wouldn't worry
about him. The company's database is protected by virtue of having a number
assigned to each kit which is returned for testing. You are basically the
only one who can reveal the information discovered in the testing process.
And I defy anyone not trained in genetics to understand that sequence of
numbers. The only value to the sequence of numbers is to be used in
comparison with possibly genetic cousins.
DNA testing for genealogy purposes can help you get around a "brickwall" but
it is not going to tell you exactly who you are descended from -- no name,
date, and location. It can help verify a traditional lineage or discount
one.
As far as privacy is concerned I do not give email addresses, or mailing
addresses, etc when I post test results to the project website. If your
father is living alll I post about him is his name. All I post about you is
your name. Generally, this information precludes information except for the
generations born before 1900.
(2) I assume by levels you mean the various numbers of markers which can be
tested. You can be tested for as little as 12-, 25-, 37- or 67 markers.
Obviously the more markers tested the more likely you would be to have a
meaningful test result for comparison purposes.
(3) There is no report per se. What you get is a certificate from the
testing company telling you your results, haplogroup assignment and general
information regarding the supposed migration of each haplogroup.
Anything more than that comes from me based on what I am seeing when I
insert your results in their proper comparative position in the results
chart.
Hope that answers your questions.
Sharon Bryant
Project Administrator
Hello,
If you have considered DNA testing now is the time. Our testing company has announced greatly reduced prices as part of their end of the year price reductions.
By the rules of the Rootsweb site I am not allowed to mention the company or the prices but if you will contact me directly at SharonBryant(a)cox.net I will give you the details.
The main thing to remember is that the kit(s) must be ordered and paid for by 31 Dec.
Hope to hear from you,
Sharon Bryant
Project Administrator