Gleaning - GR

[Necromancer]

Kerry - spot on in my book.

GR is rife with this - I used it to help a cousin with a really rare surname - and all her research showed up in 2 other places. Luckily I'd been aware of the plagerism, so we had left out a couple of crucual links - really highlighted how it was plagerism, as they didnt try and make contact whatsoever ....

[kerryb]

I've noticed that with certain trees that I have been given by various distant relatives, I have found mistakes that I have found evidence to prove they are mistakes and I always pass on the information to the originator (mostly gratefully received). 

But it is interesting to see how many trees have popped up with the original mistake still in it. 

When it has been easy to find the correct information I wonder why these people are not checking out the info like I do and coming to the same conclusion. 

Easy answer is they just want a huge tree with no effort or research!!

Sad, because they are really missing out

Kerry

[smeghead]

I keep my tree very basic on genes and information on living very limited and will only let people view my tree once i have verified there is a genuine match. But on the plus point Genes has been unbelievable in finding living relatives and close ones at that, i never new any thing about So sometimes passing information like this is worth the risk. I don't think I would have at least 40% of the people in my tree otherwise.  Rootschat must count for 25% of people in my tree


Smeghead

[sarra]

My reason for joining GR is to find genuine people researching my Ancestors and exchange information with them. My ancestors left their land of birth in 1853, they left parents and sibling behind. We are trying to find what happened to them.  I  have found people on GR who seem to have a connection to our family. Some of them are not intrested in helping you work out where they are all connected.  This person who gleaned my research has attached my ancestor to where he thinks he should be.  He maybe right - but this was the question I asked him to help me sort out. Obviously he can't be bothered.
Sarra

[Necromancer]

Sarra, thats an aspect of folk [on GR] it seems .... personally I cant imagine why one would go to the trouble of registering, uploading a Tree and then not bother to respond to queries...

[wheeldon]

I think there are many genuine people on GR (like us) who's sole ambition is to connect with a living relative and share information.  However, there obviously must be some people on there whose sole ambition is to add to their tree, without doing research or putting their hearts into it.  I bet most  researchers would agree that it's not how far back we can get, it's how much information we can find about our ancestors, in order to bring them to life and to help break down  some brick walls.  Otherwise it's just dates and a name. 

Name and date gatherers are missing the point entirely and in reality could just pick any name and date out of thin air.  As they may as well have done if they have just copied a tree.

[Gadget]

Entirely agree Wheeldon 

What worries me are the possible clandestine 'professional researchers' who might be trawling as well. Now that is unethical - but I suppose, if we put the stuff up, we only have ourselves to blame 

Think little stories are the only way.

Gadget

[kerryb]

Perhaps I'll rethink how I present my tree on my website now!!!

Kerry 

[animet]

'My husband and I still can't believe after 9 years of searching we have finally got an answer to so many Green questions. Believe me at times it has been so frustrating, but without you putting your tree on the Genes site I don't believe I could have progressed.  I have you to thank for this.'

The above is an extract from an email I received from a contact on Genes Reunited.

I'm all for sharing all of the info I have, although I don't allow every single contact to view my tree. I put all of my tree on the site, as often people who don't have a connection to my direct ancestors are related though a GG Aunt or something. ( the above was a GG Uncle)

I'm most interested in my direct line and I want to find out about as much info as I can about each individual but I also collect names, mainly to help me find more people connected to me who can provide me with those little bits of information that I can't find.

I love the internet and all of the information it provides me with - not only genealogy related - and I accept that in order to have access to all of this information, I have to add to it too.

Yes some people are thankless and abuse what's there, but the lovely emails I get like the one above more than make up for all of that.

Anita