Rockdale County GaArchives Photo Document.....Newsletter-Rockdale County Genealogical Society April 13, 2008
************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm
************************************************

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Larry C. Knowles knonga2temp@gmail.net April 15, 2008, 9:25 am

Source:             Larry C. Knowles, Conyers Georgia
Photo can be seen at:
http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/rockdale/photos/documents/newslett17501ph.gif
Image file size: 171.4 Kb


Jeans & Genes                                            Page 1 of 3

Rockdale County Genealogical Society Newsletter-May 2008

Ancestry.com acquired-$300 million!

Is rootsweb.com no longer a free genealogy resource?


The Generations Network, the parent company of Ancestry.com, has been 
acquired by Spectrum Equity Investors in a private buyout, reportedly in the 
$300 million dollar range. Ancestry.com is by far the largest unit of TGN, 
and has recently become more widely known through its subscription services to 
the complete online Federal censusesavailable at Nancy Guinn & Newton County 
libraries. Spectrum has invested in the highly profitable company-reported 
annual revenue of $150 million, since 2003.  TGN  also includes; 
familytreemaker.com, myfamily.com, genealogy.com, rootsweb.com, 
ancestrymagazine.com, and the recently formed DNA testing service, DNA 
Ancestry. Most of these entities were created and originally managed by avid 
genealogists. When Rootsweb was acquired by Ancestry in June 2000, many 
wondered how long the volunteer-manned network would remain free in the 
growing business. Now those questions seem to have become more problematic.


People who have been into genealogy for a long time, know that it can be an 
expensive hobby/avocation, particularly those with ancestors scattered 
throughout the US.  Subscription services-especially censuses and original 
records material online-can be a real time and money saver if used wisely. But 
free resources, like the rootsweb.com network have been a boon to 
researchers since the early to mid-1990s. Sharing information freely has 
always been near and dear to the hearts of most genealogists. Rootsweb 
volunteers, and their large base of contributors, are now uncertain if their 
efforts will become yet another income source for these non-genealogy 
investors.


Many who submitted family trees and other records to familytreemaker.com 
soon found that their records were being sold on CDs, and more recently 
through subscription services. It now appears that the rapidly expanding 
USGenWeb network, in my opinion the plum of the Rootsweb system, will likely 
go the same way. Diane Haddad, a managing editor of Family Tree Magazine-not 
associated with TGN or Family Tree Maker in any way, recently reported that 
TGN CEO Tim Sullivan has announced that rootsweb.com would be moved beneath 
the subscription umbrella of ancestry.com. No doubt that move was prompted 
by Spectrum, which is believed to now be considering an initial public stock 
offeringIPO. Ms. Haddad also reports that some USGenWeb administrators are 
relocating their sites to other servers, most notably to Kimberly Powell's 
About.com. Others may soon be seeking new homes! 


Your editor discovered the value of the USGenWeb three years ago, and has 
contributed generously to several of its many county-based sites, with the 
hope that they would remain free for many years. I do not regret any of those 
contributions, even if they become pay-per-view. Don't hesitate to share your 
family research. The best way to assure access to your dear records is to 
place copies everywhere that you can; within your family, in local libraries
(vertical files), in the State and National Archives, and, of course, with the 
LDS Church in Salt Lake.  Many Internet Service ProvidersISPsoffer free 
website space for members, and a free family blog can be an easy way to share 
records within your family. There is still much free space available on the 
internet-find it and use it! See sources on page 3  


File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ga/rockdale/photos/documents/newslett17501ph.txt

This file has been created by a form at http://www.poppet.org/gafiles/

File size: 4.4 Kb