It is *always* worth coming back to the Blog as there is always something new to learn or a new perspective to explore.

I JUST discovered this part of ancestry.com and checked it out. The information and GUIDELINES have been very helpful until I came to Andy and the response he recieved! I question if it is worth coming back!

What should be checked out is what is being entered that is usful to learn how to find and recording information!!!!!!

Most of us are beginners and welcome advice of what and how to search and record information. Please be so kind to do that. If you choose to bat at each other get their personal email and go at it to show who is the best and smartiest. Others are not interesting in the showing off that is going on.

Please use this site as a guidance tool for us “who are searching how to find info and how to record the correct way.

When I speak of public vs. private trees I usually mean the online trees here at Ancestry.

Trees on Rootsweb are another matter – mainly because there is the option to not offer a GEDCOM and there is no click and copy option. There is, therefore, no quick and easy way for the namegatherers to use what they see on the screen unless they do manual entry of the information on the screen.

As to using a tree that is sourced as much as possible when teaching… that is true, unless you are actually using the tree as a test of research and sourcing skills (i.e. your lesson this month is to find a William married to a Rachael who has a great grandson named Andrew and construct a fully sourced tree showing the four descending generations of William and Rachael).

The one thing I failed to do with those Rootsweb trees was to actually state their purpose.

I didn’t make that error on my Elizabeth Taylor Marriage Tree that I’ve placed online here at Ancestry.

http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/18279715/person/637010260?pg=32801

You say your tree is a teaching tool. Surely when you teach, you use a tree that is sourced as much as possible. Confusing.

I do believe you have a lot of good suggestions, but it seems like you might want to stay a little more positive and encouraging with people like Carol. The best teachers have a lot of patience.

sillisophical discourse *is* the fun stuff!

*grin*

Your tree could very well be considered what you refer to as “junkology” and this is the point I am trying to make. I have nothing against you and I want to make this clear.

Your tree includes some 24K plus folks. I do not see sources nor do I see dates. I am certainly not faulting you, that is your choice but it seems to me that you condemn folks for following the same practice.

I will say one more time, the trees are an invaluable source. It is up to the person researching their own tree to follow up on the leads.

Family trees posted on ancestry do NOT pose a threat to genealogy as a whole.

Lets put the topic to bed and get on with the fun stuff.

Kind regards

I recently started a family tree on someone who is not related to me at all, and I indicate that clearly. Why did I start this tree? Because the subject was a Civil War hero who died near where I live, and had no decendants. But he did have brothers and sisters, and perhaps sometime one of their grandchildren or great grandchildren will start researching. That tree will remain public.