Genealogy Chat

they tell us they don't have the time to read threads! Perhaps they should then they would know how their 'real' members - i.e. those who only want to research their tree while forming friendships on the boards, not those who go looking for trouble - feel. Ann glos

Excellent Ann said exactly how I feel, very disappointed the way this site is going. Its a terrible shame that its being allowed to happen, surely though it will get a bad name if it continues? Jan agree with your comments and I had a thread moved on Ancestry once and I didn't mind at all, different moving a thread, but to delete it without warning pathetic. Wonder if GR are reading? they should. Pat x

I've been reading this thread with interest and have to say I agree with those who say it's probably a select few who can get threads removed at will. If GR say the thread is inappropriate for a certain board and that is the only reason it has been removed then, since they appear to be so diligent why can't they just move the thread to what they consider the correct board. This happens on other sites. I've had it happen to me. I just got a mail saying Jan have moved your thead to...whatever board...because it was more approriate there. No problem. This site should consider itself very lucky that there are so many helpful people who give of their time and resources so freely to help others. Are they appreciated, though. It doesn't appear so. All this 'nonsense' over so many months has people on the defensive all the time. It shouldn't be like that it never was before. GR need to really have a close look at what's happening here or they'll have no-one left but the complainers. I've been helped so many times by several people on this thread and I'm so grateful for that. I also try to help wherever I can and will continue to do so but I too would be more than a little miffed if I'd spent time and money helping someone only for the information to diappear for no apparent reason. Sorry a bit long winded. Jan :-)

Ann Exactly what I feel, much much better expressed than I could manage. nell

Hi Ann couldn't agree with you more in what you said, you wrote it much better than me, LOL. The thing is though, i know it says we have more members etc, but its always the same names who reply, put threads up etc. I do notice after the programme show, more people join but do not stick around. good point though :-)

Nicely said Ann. Think you've voiced the opinion of every sensible member there, well done! Bev x

Nichola I don't think the site was as bad 3 years ago, there were one or two problems but nothing on this scale. i think it is mainly caused now by the size of the site. When it started and was run by Julie and Stephen themselves it was a relatively small site and everyone was really friendly. since the BBC programme etc and the handing over by Stephen and Julie to a 'management' team and the growth of the membership we have accumulated one or two not so desirable characters. (Not that we know who they are). Now the management seem to think that the answer to everything is to either ban people or remove threads. No attempt at mediation at all. The problem being that they have no trouble acquiring new members so the subs keep rolling in. Well what goes around comes around and eventually it must dawn on somebody that they need to adopt a different attitude, and hopefully they will realise that their members are the most important commodity that they have. Even a small team can approach members with an explanation. Ann Glos

Meercate - I meant Nell. I cant help feeling this is the beginning of the end of a brilliant site - how very sad for all of us.

I have just updated a posting I made about a week ago, asking for more help. It has disappeared!!! OK, strictly speaking, the help I requested MAY have involved look-ups and should really be on the Records Board I suppose - but I didnt have any trouble posting it here a week ago! I shall now have to go to Records and start again, thus no doubt annoying the * out of the people who originally helped me and will be thinking I have taken no notice of their original advice and information. My sub is due for renewal soon... Marjorie

This is all getting a bit draconian, isnt it. Who would 'REPORT' you? Probably the same sad sods who reported our funny names thread, eh. I expect this one will be whipped off before you can say inappropriate. What a shame, this used to be my very favourite site but Im going off it now. I used to come on here first thing and spend hours helping others, but now I rarely bother. GR, a lot of the success of this site was because people gave help so selflessly, if all the 'old timers' leave it will be just like any of the freebie sites available.

Hi to be truthful, this has happened since i have been am member ( about 3 yrs) , all members who have been here for years will tell you the same, it will always continue, many members have left over the number of years and we have lost some of the greatest, most helpful people. Which is a shame for all. This will never stop, it will always be like this.That's just how it is for some reason, whether it is right is another matter. When it gets to much on here for me, i go to another site im a member of, which is much different. The sad thing about all of this is, we all love the good threads, we all love being helpful and we all love this hobby. Its a shame its not going that way at this moment in time :-)

Hi Nell Its a pity that some people seem to have had their sense of humour surgically removed of late cos this selective deletion is happening all too often. However, I'm intrigued by the idea of who is doing the complaining. There are several 'old' threads similar to the ones deleted recently which are still intact deep in the archives of the Tips Board. There are several threads on both Success and Records that don't actually 'belong' there if we're going to get pedantic. Why have these not been complained about as well? I complained recently about 2 threads that were bordering on the abusive. They were not removed. I'm fast coming to the conclusion that certain GR members have friends in high places and its not _what_ is being complained about, it is _who_ does the complaining that makes them take notice. Just my opinion! Keep your chin up, your thread was brilliant! Lou

Hi Nell Been watching this thread...I cut and pasted those commandments and sent them too friends they loved em. I notice a Trying to Find has been on the Success Board all day.Obviuosly a mistake but still it hasnt been removed. Vickie

Louise, Christine, Helen and Rosemary Thank you for your supportive comments. I am feeling much calmer but I find it very odd that ONE person can get a thread deleted without any warning or explanation (or a chance to remove it to an appropriate board) because they e-mailed GR. There are lots of threads on the 'wrong' boards which remain, because no-one has complained. It seems very arbitrary to me and I have told GR so. I will carry on carrying on and will keep posting and responding to threads if I have anything to contribute. But I do feel the mood of this site has changed significantly for the worse. nell nell

Nell, I have not been on the boards much recently and was apalled at the way Pink was treated earlier in the week and am most surprised at the way in which your thread has been deleted. Much is said these days about courtesy and I would think GR should show a little more courtesy to its members by warning them a complaint has been made and by naming the complainant. People might be a little less inclined to complain unneccesarily. I hope you will continue with your tips. I have benefitted from several of them. Rosemary(Essex)

Sorry Nell, I've been a bit busy and have only just realised what's happened to your thread that I also contributed to. It was really funny and I can't understand why it annoyed someone to the extent of asking for it to be removed. I suspect the 'member' involved is relishing all the turmoil of the last week and didn't want to see it die down. Don't let this pathetic individual or the bizarre policing of the boards by GR get you down! Tips needs you! Helenxx

Honestly, how can they do this! I found your thread amusing and sooooo true. I even replied to it myself. Some time ago I had a problem with some living rellys of mine listed on someone elses tree and it took me 3 messages before GR finally removed them. With your thread I looked for it the following day to see what others had to say, only to find it gone. Not good enough GR. Christine in NZ

Hi Nell, I've been away from the boards for a while but clearly this has been an unpleasant place recently and having just caught up I'm hacked off too. The Tips Board was my favourite place on GR and I really hope it doesn't get bogged down in rows. With regard to what's been going on, quite frankly I can't see why some of the more light hearted threads can't stay on the Tips Board. Most of them contain advice even if some posts on the threads are about letting off steam or sharing a genealogical joke. The General Board may be the official place to post chatty or non-genealogical posts but I would hope that the powers that be can keep a sense of proportion. After all, sometimes threads appear on the Tips Board which maybe belong on the General Board and other threads appear on the General Board which could be posted on the Tips Boards. However, only one set seem to be being deleted. It would be interestingly to know why! Like others, I can also add that I've reported threads that I found offensive but GR did not delete them but told me that they couldn't find them. Strange when I told them the thread name and could continue to look it up! Chin up Nell! It's not your fault and you're not alone. Louise

Devil's advocate Don't worry. I don't wish to be disruptive and have never thought of myself as such. If I ever get to the point where I want to be b****y-minded I will just go. I don't want to turn into a petty individual. I have e-mailed GR again to say I don't understand why one person can have a thread deleted when it isn't abusive or offensive, and since it had attracted lots of answers was obviously of interest to people. nell

A suspended suspension sounds incredibly painful, Devil, are you attempting to have it operated on?