Gosh, Marleen, I hadn't even thought about the upgrade issue. I was more thinking
along the lines of everyone's eventual mortality and how to arrange some type of
continuation. The same would apply to a person's whole genealogy research. Since I
turned sixty this year, these thoughts have begun to crop up. I suppose I need to make
sure my son knows how to access the DNA project. My reason for writing the list was really
a question, not an answer, on how to pass on our work and keep the project updated too.
It's certainly not fair to expect too much from a project admin. As for Anne Boone
Call and D.G. Daniels I have no clues on even simple stuff like replacing their email
address, or if there is anyone out there to replace them.
Also, I totally disagree with you about requiring some arbitrary level of testing like 37
markers. The 12 marker test provides a start into DNA testing and we need as many people
to participate as we can get. They can always upgrade later if needed. As we know, some
folks are related to half the men in Ireland while others can't seem to find a match
at all. You never know until you start testing. The key is to get folks started.
My humble opinion,
Clay
--- On Sun, 9/13/09, Marleen Van Horne <msvnhrn(a)jps.net> wrote:
From: Marleen Van Horne <msvnhrn(a)jps.net>
Subject: Keeping our DNA pages updated
To: "Clay Daniels" <clay.daniels(a)sbcglobal.net>
Date: Sunday, September 13, 2009, 11:55 AM
Clay,
This question of your's brings up a lot of issues.
You may remember that I manage 6 yDNA projects at FTDNA, so
my opinions here are as both a project manager and a project
participant.
In the first place, I flat out tell my project participants
that I accept the 37 marker test and prefer the 67 marker
test. As you well know only those tests provide
sufficient information to prove genetic matches. I
have had a couple of people who even after that only do the
12 marker test, and because it matches one of the identified
genetic pedigrees think they have found their family.
I quite frankly do not waste my time on those folks.
They usually do not submit pedigrees to me and do not
contribute to the research of others or the project.
Anyone with less that 37 markers I put in a group titled,
"Too Little Information." That is hard nosed on my
part, but these people are not contributing to the project
and getting a free ride at other people's expense.
OK, your basic question, is what to do with the test
results of project participants who have passed on.
Frankly, unless you have a written agreement with the
individual prior to death, or an agreement with his family
after death, you have no authority to order any further
tests even if you are willing to pay for them.
This question was recently addressed on the DNA-Genealogy
list. Almost all of the project managers were of the
same opinion. One person thought whatever was done was
OK as long as he wasn't paying. The final conclusion
of the group was that a project manager has no authority to
order tests without the permission of the subscriber, no
matter who is paying.
I went so far as to write to FTDNA about their ethics
policies for project managers. I could not find it on
the website, but a copy was sent to me. The guidelines
specifically say that a group administrator cannot
"Authorize an upgrade to a Project member’s markers,"
without their consent.
It seems to me that for people who have passed away, unless
you get permission of the family or have permission from the
individual prior to death, covering after death
circumstances, you just have to leave their test results
alone.
My first project member passed away within eight months of
being tested. At the time, 37 markers were the most
available. While he was ill, FTDNA introduced the 67
marker test. I got permission from his widow and son
to upgrade his test results to 67 marker, and I paid for it
myself. That is the only time I ever initiated an
upgrade for anyone.
Marleen Van Horne
