Karen, Could you explain to us what our status in
IaGenWeb is? I am under the impression that IagenWeb
is incorporated and is on a different server from
Ancestry.com. Am I mistaken? Am I being overly
secure in assuming that this doesn't affect us like
some states. I moved my Washington County site to the
IaGenWeb server a few weeks ago before all this
hullabaloo started but for different reasons. Perhaps,
our leaders foresaw this happening a long time ago.
Perhaps I am overly complacent in not wanting to make
any further changes. I have had egg on my face before
so I can survive it again, but I prefer not to smear
it on myself. I do know if I ever have a few dollars
to spare, I would prefer it to go to IaGenWeb and not
to a National group.
Norma Jennings
--- Mary E Boyer <mebgen(a)yahoo.com> wrote:
To whom it may (and does) concern,
Just about a year ago, I stumbled across the
most amazing genealogy site. And now, I am not only
using it regularly for my personal research, but
also, to help others. I am not the most significant
member of this community so kindly regard, or
disregard at your pleasure.
I am assuming, that somewhere we have exempt
organizational status. (i.e. we could be considered
.org?). As County Coordinators, we should know the
costs incurred by maintaining, organizing, and
keeping our sites available "freely" to those who
depend on these sites. My concern would be that
were we to "break free", (that may be the wrong
wording) we would have to start from ground zero
with an awful lot of what we take for granted
because it has always been there for us. The
"Powers that be" have been gracious in their
support. However, I understand much more now about
"support" due to having the responsibility of
maintaining the infrastructure of a very large
venture. Do we have the capacity of maintaining the
costs, as well as donating all we hold sacred? In
all honesty, I can't afford to pay for the privilege
of all
Ancestry.com has to offer, which brings us
back to USGenWeb. I can afford the time I have, and
will continue to put into this project. I am
in the process, as we speak, of purchasing the
software and expertise to enhance my county sites
(Montana) - which, by the way, are overly lacking at
this time. I gave myself a time line to have these
sites up and running - and I am running behind
schedule.
Will we have to dig around our own
communities for donations to keep us alive? Well,
mayhaps that wouldn't be a bad thing. But, I am not
thoroughly convinced that were we to split up and
branch out we could remain the tight community we
are. Would we have to restructure our by-laws and
regulations? We are rather protected as we are.
Would we just become another blurb in an endless
list of sites in which to choose? Our sites are
well displayed - in part, because of who displays
them. In part, because of long hours and the
dedication of our volunteers.
Then, there is the consideration of who
"owns" the rights to our research. Yes, we are the
authors of that material - but in the business world
- the normal practice it that "the boss" (they who
pay for the means) owns all you do under the guise
of that business. Can our hosts just shut us down?
I am very untrusting of technology and therefore,
everything I have submitted "on line", is safely
ensconced in "hard copy" (disk and paper). I will
lose none of the information I have submitted.
I'm going to quit while I feel I'm still
ahead. I sincerely hope this correspondence is not
out of line, or tremendously "off topic". I adore
this community of ours, and only wish the best for
its continuance. I promise to abide by the final
decisions of those with the authority to make those
decisions. Other than this E-mail, I will now leave
it to those more qualified than I. I will keep
reading the discussions - bless you kids for the
time and effort you spend.
Respectfully submitted,
Mary E Boyer
Iowa - Marion County - AC
Montana - Musselshell County - CC
Montana - Carbon County - CC
Karen De Groote-Johnson <europatb(a)iowatelecom.net>
wrote:
For your information and discussion.
Karen
-------- Original Message --------
Subject: [STATE-COORD] Contingency Discussions - re:
masthead
negotiation/discussion
Date: Tue, 11 Sep 2007 16:45:07 -0400
From: Tina S. Vickery
Reply-To: state-coord(a)rootsweb.com
To: , ,
, ,
, ,
In conjunction with the masthead
negotiations/discussions, the Board
and I feel that a contingency discussion is also
prudent to have.
I offer the below as discussion points only. We
welcome
all Project members to express their concerns,
opinions and
to ask questions.
Please forward to XXGenWeb Project lists.
Again, below is intended as discussion points
*only*. Main
discussion will take place on the -Discuss list.
Subscription information is available at:
http://lists.rootsweb.com/index/other/USGenWeb/USGENWEB-DISCUSS.html
Please have courtesy and respect for your peers and
the
hosts of our mailing lists as we have this
discussion.
If you wish to contact Advisory Board members
privately
their names and email addresses are available at:
http://www.usgenweb.com/about/advisoryboard.shtml
Tina Vickery
National Coordinator
USGenWeb Project
-----------------
Our USGenWeb Project bylaws state:
ARTICLE II. PURPOSE "Section 1. The USGenWeb Project
is an
organized group of volunteers working to create an
online
center for genealogical research by linking every
county in
the United States. The purpose of this organization
shall
be to gather genealogical and historical information
for
free online access by researchers". Key phrase
being:
"free online access by researchers".
The bylaws make no reference to which server any
member or
project of the USGenWeb Project must use. Long set
precedence allows for the use of "server of one's
choice."
That choice extends to county, parish, town, special
project, etc., and the USGenWeb National pages.
As a Project, we are at a crossroads. Rootsweb and
its
parent company have been a very gracious and
accommodating
host for many years. And as a Project we would be
remiss
not to appreciate that.
However, some corporate changes and decisions of
late have
placed the USGenWeb Project in a tenuous position.
We need
to evaluate their business decisions vs. our mission
of
providing " ... free online access by researchers."
This is a huge decision and discussion. It is a
decision
as to whether or not to stay with our current host.
It is
a discussion I feel that must be held in conjunction
with
the masthead discussion. It is a discussion and
decision
that we must have as the USGenWeb Project community.
The key question for the USGenWeb Project to discuss
is:
How important is it that we are seen in the
genealogy
community as the "USGenWeb Project .. Land of Free
Genealogy"?
Having answered that question, we need to evaluate
many
things. We have three domains: .org, .net and .com
We need to consider hosting, specialized tools [php,
db,
etc], maintenance, administration, financing and
security,
to name a few. We need to make choices to promote
the
growth and future of the USGenWeb Project.
Please understand these concerns are for the
*national
pages only*, but I feel a very important discussion
to have
with the entire USGenWeb Project membership.
=== message truncated ===
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