Genealogy Chat

Yes this is a bit of a moan - not directed at any person in particular - but would just like to draw attention to this problem. I am getting a bit fed up with pm to send images when there is no mention on the thread that the originator wanted it saved. I do not automatically save images which means that I have to go back and look at the thread for the references (sometimes hours after the original posting) - go back to Ancestry - then save the image - then send it. This all takes time and I, like a lot of other GR members, do not have unlimited internet access. My computer is getting on a bit in years and this process for one image will take up to 10 mins. Please, please do not post your email addys on threads. So if in future you send me a pm and I say NO then I am not being unhelpful its just that I do not save the images. Maureen

and while we are on the subject.... When someone requests 1901 for John so & so, please DONT reply ''have saved you the image''- without posting the transcription. Invariably the next questions is ''can you see them in 1891...'' so someone has to look them up in 1901 all over again for reference Jess - who doesn't save/send images either

Jess, I have to agree with you about the 'have saved the image' comments that appear frequently on threads. Why not post the details anyway so that everyone can see that the right family or rellie has been found or not. Maureen (who still enjoys doing lookups)

Sending images to other people is probably a breach of copyright (it certainly is from the 'official' 1901, which is now owned by GR). 'You may only reproduce the images of documents or transcribed pages from the 1901 Census Service in hard copy for your personal research, private study or education. These images and transcribed pages may not otherwise be reproduced, distributed or transmitted to any other person or incorporated in any way into another document or other material without the prior written permission of ...' Perhaps Ancestry is more forgiving in copyright matters.

Actually Geoff, I think ancestry are very lenient. A distant cousin contacted me and asked if I could sort a load of one name entries on the census, in the end I entered the name (unusualish one) and then sent about 20 pages of images to them. At that point ancestry mailed them and said that no more would be allowed. But even so, very lenient.

I agree that Ancestry are pretty lenient.....but in the long run they have realised that the exposure that they get from their tolerance actually gets tham more members and therefore more money in their coffers, which is what it's all about, from their point of view. Look at some other sites which clamp down vigorously on members doing lookups for others.......I expect many read the thread on here a few weeks ago about the site that was going to fine a member £6000 for allegedly breaking their T & C's .......the site ended up with so much negative publicity it can't do them any favours!! Three cheers for Ancestry and their sensible policies........long may they continue in the same vein! It benefits them in the long run! Merry

No apology for nudging this up. I have spotted a lot of threads tonight which make no mention of wanting the image saving & sending BUT when the information has been found there suddenly appears a request for the image to be sent. Maureen

I'm being naive, but why on earth would anyone WANT a look up without an image? I would have thought it axiomatic that a request for a look up involved an image. I appreciate that looking at the image, saving it, and then emailing it is a slow procedure and probably illegal, but unless the request is placed by someone with access to Ancestry, the reply is of very little use. We spend a great deal of time telling people that they should go back to the original parish registers and not rely on transcriptions. The advice applies equally to census transcriptions. At the very least, a look up reply should be accompanied by piece and folio number, to enable the enquirer to find the information again at some later date.

I have done a lot of lookups for people on Ancestry and never had any problem from Ancestry. I never send an image without first checking that the person wants it. This is because you often see someone ask a question then a whole series of replies saying they have sent the image. If the person is on dial-up then this could be a major problem for them especially if the senders do not first reduce the size of the file. MB

I have always assumed (and we all know we shouldn't do that!) that if someone just says they need a lookup, plain and simple, that they will want the image........so I leave those for someone else, coz I'm a lazy ******.....on the other hand, those who say, ''I just can't find this person after looking for ages'' must have access to Ancestry and just need help finding the rotton page with their rellie on it.....therefore they won't need the image once they know great-uncle Marmaduke has been transcribed as Mannuduhe, as they can look him up themselves once they have the incorrect name spelling! Merry