At 03:29 PM 5/31/98 -0400, Kathy Dix wrote:
Another opinion:
Most of us are here for one reason--to help the searchers find
more information. The searchers don't care about logos, or
by-laws, they want data. If it doesn't help the searcher,
what's the point? It seems a waste of time.
The engine seems to be driven by the searchers. They certainly
tell us what they would like to see....and sometimes how they
would like to see it. Without them, we have no purpose.
(Incidentally Frances, you might not have a "logo" but I have
heard about your great map...it's a current topic of email.)
You are oh so right Kathy! The most important voices we should be
listening to are the researchers visiting our sites.
I view the organizational aspect of USGenWeb as a loosely
connected group, whose purpose is NOT self-perpetuation, but
help for the next levels and promotion of genealogy on the Net.
I view the State Coordinators as facilitators--helping the
county coordinators to help the searchers. I believe this is
a "bottom-driven" organization and the bottom is the searchers; I also
believe this is the way it should be.
My particular aim is to improve PA genealogy. The rest is just
a side-issue for me. My personal goal is to have more time for
my own lines. (Does anybody here have much time for that? Wow, it's been
rough to do anything on my lines for the last two years.)
Me too! I am woefully behind on my own genealogy. It seems like any
breakthroughs I have anymore are through someone who is kind enough to send
me the information. I can't remember my last find that I did on my own.
What am I saying? We don't need rules, regulations, restrictions.
We do
need help with issues like copyright, where to find the maps, people to
scan
them, census coordination, history book coordination, societies
coordination, religious coordination, ethnic coordination ....and on, and
on.
Suggestions, opportunities, guidelines, choices are terrific.
Drafts, regulations, laws (or by-laws) channel us into less
creativity, possibly less dedication, certainly into having
less time to devote to the reason we are here.
You are preachin' to the choir here! I'm very relieved to see that there
are others out there that hold some views similar to mine. I'm sure we
will survive as a group through this whole mess, one way or another.
Mike