Re: Sinclair Genealogy Digest Number 11

[Lena A L <lal@algonet.se>]

Dear Jean and others who fear the Global Database,

Jean Grigsby wrote:
> 
> My feelings derive from the many, many people who have requested that their
> family history not be used for public consumption.
>
>
>
The future Global base it not intended to be public in the sense that
the whole world population may access the base. It's for Sinclairs only,
that's why the base it NOT accessible via the net for the time being. 

>
>
>
>
>
>  I can still recall my
> nephew calling me late one night as he had found my parents (his
> grandparents) listed on a website and only one child listed - me.  He was
> extremely upset and to be quite frank so was I.  I had never heard of the
> person and when contacted he admitted he had copied the data from a small
> family book I had published in 1970 - 29 years ago.  
>
>
>
>
>

The important word above is the word PUBLISHED........ make it public...
and as you made it public there are no way of you stopping who ever from
doing the same as long as they have access to the source (unless they
violate rules of copywrite etc), just like you do when you quote some
other writer or person when giving information on this list.

>
>
>
>
>I had only made 10
> copies for family members and unfortunately one of the recipients passed
> away and during this 20 year period it had ended up in an  "in-laws" hands -
> a person not even related to the family. 
>
>
>


That is exactly why me and Margaret are the only ones, at the moment,
that have access to the base. In the future though a copy of the base
will be held in the Sinclair Archives in Scotland accessible to
researcher in the same way old documents are accessible.

I think the fear has to do with fear of new technology but if we realize
that there are no relevant difference between documents that consists
of  101010101110000101010100111000010000, bit, byte, kb, mb etc and
documents made out of paper or old papyrus scrolls for that matter. When
it comes down to basics it's pure data all of it. And I am quite
convinced Jean that you would not argue that access to old documents are
the base of all historical research. And Jean, have you never used the
SSDI base on the net?

>
>
> This has become a concern for most professional genealogists and most of
> them are simply refusing to share their material.  
>
>

I'm sorry Jean but I believe their motives for refusal has nothing to do
with the above. I think it has to do with $$$$$$$$. They will be out of
business if all data where easy accessible on the net. But that's a
whole different issue which I don't wish to discuss further.
>
>
>
>I refuse to allow a few
> to disrupt what I feel is an important goal - hence my refusal to send out
> material on any branch unless the person requesting the material is a proven
> descendant of that branch.
>
>

Well, then there will be much easier when learning history in the
future. No kings, no generals, no regents or royal families to memorize
as there will be no public records of them left.


> 
> Perhaps others will be as honest as I have been and state their true >reasons
>
>


As managing director of a historical museum I know the importance of
leaving documentation behind for coming generations to explore, research
and learn from. My true reason for starting this project was to gather
as much information as possible in one place without any profit what so
ever for my self (more than the warm feeling that I might have helped
some future researcher in the year 2099). And then, of course,
professional genealogists do have to think of the profit....... I don't!

Regards
Lena
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