Good question, Clare!
The way I understand the situation is the the USGW team got together to
create a query system to replace the old "autobot" one that we used to
all use. The admin team has been working on this system for almost 1
year now. The development of the system was slow - and it is finally now
ready for evaluation.
In the meantime, the folks at the KY project got restless and needed a
system to handle all their queries - they have very active counties - so
Pam Durstock created a system using the popular WebBBS software. This
system was developed only for KY - but many of the KY hosts wanted to use
it for their other counties as well. Pam and Nancy Trice got permission
from Megan Z. (NC) to offer the board system to anyone who might want to
use - this is how the USGWQURY system evolved.
So,in effect, we have two systems online - the USGWQURY system is nice
and is easy to use and sends cc'd html/cchelper queries to the host. The
Query Express system coming online soon is supposed to be outstanding and
will interface directly with Patty Lindsay's Surname Helper (this will be
the preferred choice for all cchelper sites).
The USGW policy of how a cc handles queries has always been loosely
mandated - each cc had to maintain a queries page - and they could use
any of these three ways:
the old autobot program
emailed queries
mail merge forms, etc.
This policy will not change - this is from Megan. CC's must still
maintain queries and but can now choose one of these options:
Query Express
USGWQURY Forum
emailed queries
mail merge forms
I am using USGWQURY for all my sites and for the state of MD. I like it
alot - it freed up alot of my time - no more posting of unknown MD
queries (we get about 30-50 per month!).
I also use CChelper in Somerset PA - so, I may choose to change over to
the Query Express system when it comes online - if it will make
implementing cchelper queries easier for me.
Carol E. Hepburn
pasomers(a)juno.com
SOMGEN-L(a)rootsweb.com List Owner
PAGenWeb Somerset County
http://www.rootsweb.com/~pasomers/
On Tue, 10 Mar 1998 12:47:23 -0600 Clare <Clare(a)Sierranet.net> writes:
Since we have a system that works, why is there another system being
created? I think it will only serve to be confusing and devisive.
--
Clare Midgley
Birdsong Ranch Ranch page
http://www.sierranet.net/~clare/
Coarsegold, California
Nigerian Dwarf Goats, LaManchas and soon to be MiniManchas!
PA Genealogy -- Allegheny Co.
http://www.rootsweb.com/~paallegh
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