I have 3 different family lines online at WorldConnect and I have had both good and bad
experiences. If I had not had my father's side of the family online, I would not
have progressed as far as I have, as I have been contacted by many "Cousins"
out there who have sent me information and pictures.
On the other hand, I find that I get many queries from people who "want more
information" about individuals in my files and I never know quite how to answer these
without sounding mean. After all, everything I know about each person is already there,
what more can I tell you? Also, I find I am getting more and more requests asking me to
"send my GEDCOM" to people. Why would I do this? Am I wrong to feel offended
by this? And is this becoming the norm nowdays??? I find this quite presumptious for
someone to expect me to send them my research in a neat little package for them to just
insert into their own files. Whatever happened to doing the research yourself?
Isn't that the fun of genealogy? Nothing irritates me more than to have someone say
to me, "I don't believe in re-inventing the wheel. Please send me your
GEDCOM."
Sorry if I am getting off on a rant or something, but this has bothered me for a long time
and I have had no outlet to blow off steam about it. I have my info online as a tool for
others, but I resent those who just want to download the whole thing and add it to their
own. There is one individual who shares a common family line with me who also has her
family online at WorldConnect and her file exactly mirrors mine, right down to the wording
of the notes. It is obvious that she copies every update I make, word for word, and she
even cites the same sources as me, worded exactly as I worded them, for example:
"Notes from Suzanne Long". I rather doubt she contacted Suzanne Long.
Oh well, like I said, I have made some valuable contacts, so I guess if you have your
info online, you have to be prepared to weigh the good with the bad.
Linda