Hope for the Hopeless

It used to be that a researcher would keep a careful log of sources in order to not waste time seeing the same source twice. Now, thanks to the growth and reach of the Internet, is is vital that you visit the same sites not just twice, but many times and regularly. New information is being added every day. Global searches yield more results each day. Sites that had no information last year should be checked again now. I'm thinking, for example, of the county sites reached through www.rootsweb.com, www.usgenweb.com and www.genforum.com.
M.A.E.

ANCESTRY.com
Are they worth the subscription price? My answer is YES, with qualifications. If your research is in the United States, and you'll be doing lots of research, then definitely YES. If your research is in the United States, but you only need to answer a simple matter, then NO. If your research is outside the United States, then definitely NO. Their overseas collection is growing. The records from the United Kingdom are worth the price if you expect to do lots of research. (You ask, "How can their international offerings grow if people don't subscribe?" My answer is, that's their problem. It's called "risk" and is solved through market research.)

I contacted Ancestry.com once and offered to help them, for a price of course, with their international offerings. They couldn't wrap their heads around it. I haven't contacted them again, but I still think I could help them turn their site into an international portal. I'd start with Spanish.

As a business, Ancestry.com is easy to deal with. At renewal time, they aren't pushy, and they don't bother me with offers for access to other databases. As a subscriber, it bothers me that they are EVERYWHERE genealogical on the Internet. Their ads pop up on many other sites or are woven seamlessly into other sites so that, before you know it, you're looking at an Ancestry ad. But they gotta make a living.

GenBlogger - Genealogy one bite at time

This is a place to share questions, answers, and success stories about genealogy and family history research. I'll tell stories about my trials and successes, and I welcome yours in return. I have done research in the United States, Italy, Poland, Germany, Peru, England, and more. I read several languages. Feel free to write in Spanish, German, Portuguese, Italian, French, or Russian. (I also read Arabic, but this page won't support the script. I can handle images, though.)