Genealogy Chat

patchem


that's the problem!!


once I start, I want to continue.


I got caught by that poster some time ago .................. now I look at the thread(s), I know I can help, but I refuse to.



sylvia

I remember the recent one as mentioned by Sylvia. As I recall, that person was originally kind of evasive on his posts when we asked questions for how he had got to the person he was asking about.

When he finally told the truth, some of us, including me who had done a fair bit of digging were not happy bunnies. He didn't get it at all why we reacted how we did and he didn't see what the problem was. He wanted information and we could get it for him so why not? He hadn't thought it through of course in terms of buying certificates.

More and more now, I limit myself to posting a census entry, something from FreeBMD or any ideas I can come up with.

I stayed away from Living until a few weeks ago when I helped three people with bits of info, links to relevant pages on 192.com and suggestions for areas. Not one of them said thank you let alone acknowledged my message.

I remember who they are so if/when the next time they post, if I spot them, I'll just mention all the help I gave but won't be bothering again.

I agree with MC in her (19:38) post about people who can't be bothered to find info for themselves. It's always the way but it shouldn't be so.

I am still quite shocked to think that anyone could use the human resources available ( and their subs) on this site to benefit themselves financially.
I had no idea at all, but will keep it in the fore from now on.

Although I have been a member of GR for many years, I never used the forum here when I was doing my family research, simply because I got a buzz finding it for myself.

It always amazes me when members seem to think that the helpers should use their paid credits on sites such as scotlandspeople

I´ve noticed a marked increase in people asking for help with research that they are doing for other people, which they openly admit.
Why can´t the "other people" take out basic membership & ask for themselves instead of getting free info?.

You're quite right, wisechild .............

I think there has definitely been an increase


so far, I have been trusting enough that if someone says "I'm doing this for a friend who is interested in his/her family history, and I need help" ....................... really is doing it as a favour for a friend!


of course, that could be their excuse, and we might well have someone who is then going to charge a price for what has been given to her for free.




It is interesting to note that ALL the genealogy sites do have special conditions for researchers ..............

........... ancestry could (and I think still can) for example block you, and not allow you to do any more research for a period of time if they see that you are looking up too many records for different names. It happened to me a couple of times back when the boards moved a lot faster ................. suddenly I could not do the search ............. and a sign came up that I had exceeded my limit. Everything was fine the next day!

They are all intended for the amateur researcher ................... and I think some of those that have subs may charge a higher rate for professional researchers.


GR's own T&C's contain the following (my emphasis by way of capitals) .................

"Fair usage: We have A FAIR USAGE LIMIT for subscribers and people taking a Free Trial. You can view 5000 RECORDS EACH CALENDAR MONTH if you're a SUBSCRIBER, or 600 during a FREE TRIAL. If you get close to the limit, we'll send you an email to warn you. If you do manage to reach the limit, subscribers will need to wait for the next calendar month to start (when your monthly limit is automatically reset) and those on a Free Trial will need to buy a subscription to view more records.

The contents of the Genes Reunited Service, webpages, computer codes of elements comprising the Genes Reunited Service and any software provided to you by us may not be copied, reproduced, communicated and/or made available to the public, republished, downloaded, posted, recorded, broadcast or transmitted or used in any other way except for YOUR OWN PERSONAL, PRIVATE AND NON-COMMERCIAL USE, or UNLESS OTHERWISE EXPRESSLY PERMITTED by us."

I get the Buzz too Anne. I do ask for help occasionally though when I am grateful for the time and help of others.

Sometimes I need a bit of advice or I am out of ideas but also, if I can't find a census entry on GR I need someone with a 'wildcard' on another site because I know the family will likely have been mistranscribed and I'm having no luck guessing.

Would some kind person - or perhaps MC (waving at you MC <3) :-P :-P :-P :-P :-P
please pm me the name of the suspected 'professional'. I am not only curious but annoyed with myself for not recognising.

Thanks. Jill

Cheeky mare JDJ!!

I have a bit of a suspicion about one but I'm not sure - will someone pm us? Ta :-)

Hi MC.

I've now been pm'd. Message on it's way to you the minute I have pressed send on here.

Hope you are having a wonderful day.

<3Jill

PS

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:-P :-P :-P :-P :-P :-P :-P :-P :-P :-P :-P :-P :-P :-P :-P :-P :-P :-P :-P :-P :-P :-P :-P :-P :-P :-P :-P :-P :-P :-P :-P :-P :-P :-P :-P :-P

Jill...
If you can pass it on to me Thank You...
Must have missed that one and I can usually spot those who are taking the preverbial Michael

Hi E.

You should have mail :-D

Not exactly the same problem but some years ago a member asked for access to my tree. We did have a vague connection, but then she trawled my tree and posted it all on IGI. I started recognising my own hard (and expensive) research gifted to everyone. On the other hand, her own research was rubbish so anyone using that tree will be sorely disappointed if they believe all the connections.

I'm now very wary of revealing my tree and especially suspicious of trees with 0ver 5000 names. :-0

Bonjour Sylvain,

I have also wondered about the goodwill.....I am happy to share my tree and research, which is considerable. But I could just post it somewhere for all to see (I actually do have it accessible on another site). But the point of Genes Reunited is to interact with others, possibly related to common ancestors etc. It is nice to receive an inquiry which shares information and asks questions. Lately all I ever get from Genes Reunited is..."Hello can I see your tree?" With no further discussion of where they think we connect.
I just delete those messages. LOL
Regards,
Tricia

Hello,

I've asked and received alot of help from other GR users sometimes you can get overloaded with so much information and have a melt down so asking gives a new pair of eyes with a new view and a point in the right direction can be useful. I go on loads of sites FreeReg, Wolvo index, West Mids BMD, Family search , which are all free for anyone to use I also have supscription for GR,Ancestry, and FMP and I still get stuck, :-) <3

Mary

Patricia

First ........ welcome to the Boards!

Yes, we all want to share and to help ................. but not to be used and abused!

I think most of us have had something similar to Malcolm's experience, or know someone to whom it happened. As a result we're all wiser, and more careful about sharing our trees.

The problem with the "Hello can I see your tree" messages, is that this is an automated message offered by GR ................. and so many people see nothing wrong with sending such a message to a stranger!

I'm afraid I want to establish that there is a connection ........... I want the name of the supposed link in that first pm, and then I want an exchange of pms to establish that it is a true link. Then, and only then, do I extract the requisite part of my tree, and send it. They no longer get access to my tree in its entirety!






Mary ................



no-one is saying anything about members who get stuck, get overloaded with information, etc, and then asking for help


We ALL do that!

I have some brick walls in my trees ....... and sometimes ask if anyone has any other ideas.



My musing was about people who continually post or who seem to be a professional researcher getting the work done by other people.

There are some who continually post who do not have subs in any other site, yet continually want look-ups in those sites ..........

......... one does begin to wonder after the 40th, 50th or more, request, why the person does not

a) save up the requests, then find the time to take out a 2 week free trial, or

b) use the libraries (if in the UK), or

c) save up some pennies and take out a month's subscription.



I had no intention of people feeling they had to apologise for asking for help or for look-ups ................. other than those for whom the cap might fit.




sylvia

Hello,

I see what you are saying but surely a professional researcher would still need to check the info given, If you charge someone for research would you not want to make sure it's correct so would they still not have to pay somewhere along the line

Mary

Mary


one would certainly expect that they would.


But one does have one's misgivings at times!


Certainly they have short cut the time spent on researching by using us, they have saved on the site subscriptions .................... one can then only hope they buy the certificates.

I fear they may well charge for their time spent researching, and possibly for subscriptions .............. this is definitely where the "abuse" comes in!


I think you will also find that most of the long time helpers have stories of a member asking for help, and saying that they had used and paid for a professional researcher, now they needed some more help.

On looking into it, checking what they "knew", as we all do ............... there has been found to be more than one researcher who has provided completely wrong information.

and, usually, a very high price has been paid!


In no way am I saying that all professional researchers are bad, because they are not ............... but, as in all professions, there are the ones who do take short cuts, and charge as if they had done all the work themselves.


Unfortunately, tv shows such as WDYTYA make it all seem so easy, and they never mention the costs!


That is what I think caught the attention of the one who wanted to earn money for himself .................... he wasn't satisfied being on benefits, and it did seem an easy way.



syvlvia

Can someone ..anyone pm me names of who they think are Professional researchers.

Just so I can steer clear of them ,I just can't pick them :-(

Sue :-D

Can they pm me as well?
Thank-you

And me too please. Thanks.

I don't help as much on here as a lot of folks do and still consider myself very much a novice but you do see names coming up time and time again - often many times in a few days and then a break before they're off again. And how often does the original question lead to - "and whilst you're there......."