Genealogy Chat

My basic sub to Ancestry is my annual Christmas present from my husband. He's just glad he doesn't have to gift wrap it! :-D


Just because I have a sub doesn't mean that I am not happy for those less fortunate than myself to be able to access some records for free. In fact, I hope it helps them with their research. Obviously Ancestry hopes it helps them with their research too........;-)


I've had a spell of using Ancestry daily for a while now and haven't had any problems - it's been absolutely fine. When they have had issues in the past, they have always had the courtesy to inform and apologise to members, which is appreciated.


Thank you for the tip Jean. Cx :-)

MGNV - I have done look ups but on here, but I mainly do them on Rootschat.

That is purely because by the time I have found what someone on here has asked for, it has already been done. And I do not wish to clog up a thread with the same info that is already there which often happens and for a newbie that can be very confusing.

If you look at my posts you will see that I will often offer advice on where to find useful information etc., especially on Free sites.

I am a great advocate of guiding people to where they can find information out for themselves. Not because I do not want to do lookups, but I think that it is better to encourage and help people to do their own research, which is far more enjoyable than having the information handed to you on a plate.

And I have in the past gone back to threads I have added to and if my post was just adding the same, I will have deleted it. So just because it may look like I have not contributed, I have and then subsequently removed my post!!


:-)

Quite right....it IS good to encourage and help people to do their own research, hence that is why I have no problem in Ancestry offering a free weekend - thus helping those who maybe can't afford a sub, to do some of their own research.

Good on 'em. Cx :-)

Thank you all for your comments,

Sorry haven't got back here earlier as have been too busy freeloading as some of you seem to think.

Most if not all of my ancestors are Scottish or Irish so Ancestry is not really a lot of use to me so I decided a long time ago not to take out a subscription as I would not benefit .

I do however buy a lot of credits on Scotlandspeople and various other Scottish and Irish genealogy websites, which I must say are very good value for money, so when I see a free offer I certainly go for it, why not ?

My gripe is the fact that Ancestry have just so many of these Free weekends, yet are not prepared to get the site working properly for many of its members.

So some (not me as I have not got FTM) are having major problems, which just get worse on these weekends.

One or 2 a year, fine by me. But it seems they are having 1 a month lately.

DazedConfused,

I can understand that and I don't blame anyone for getting annoyed when they have problems trying to access a site they have subs with but I find the word freeloader a bit strong,

regards
jean

I use FTM in conjunction with Ancestry and don't have any problems and I didn't find any problem over the weekend.

I do agree that there seem to be too many of these free weekends but I suppose it must be worthwhile for Ancestry to do them. If they can encourage more subscribers then they will have more resources to add more records which is to our advantage.

I like your post of 24 Aug 2014 12:49 DC. If only more helpers gave advice rather than virtually taking over newbie's trees, then maybe more people would find out what an enjoyable hobby this is.

I like to help but I dont like doing peoples trees for them, when all they have asked for is a marriage.....or finding shed loads of maybe related baptisms from familysearch when they could have found them themselves if only they were given the link.

I dont do a lot of so called helping now unless it is after midnight and can take my time.....but as for all these problems with Ancestry, I have not noticed and have used it everyday for the last four years

oh dear oh dear
sorry but i am as as you call us [a freeloader ] i cant afford to pay for ancestry so i do ask for look ups

i save up so i can travel to the archives i need to go to i have saved up for some cds that help me with my research
but i cant do everything and there is alot of people like me who just cannot find the money to pay for ancestry

i love doing my family tree
but seeing that i am a freeloader may be i will have to stop it now

littlelegs


just keep on in the way you have been doing



sometimes we, that is any of us, just has to vent about something that is bothering us



The problem was / is that ancestry has been having problems for several weeks, some people have had more problems than others and have been unable to find information


Then came this notice of free ancestry on the Bank Holiday weekend .................... we all know that the site gets overloaded when that happens, and I think the thought of another free weekend with a slow site following on the inability to use the site properly for some time just got to several of us.



After all ..................... ancestry does seem to have had a free weekend a month this year




I might add that it does only seem to be the UK site that offers these free weekends ................... I could be wrong, but I don't think I've ever seen a free weekend on the US one





s
xx

Strangely, I find I have more problems on Ancestry when it's NOT a free weekend!

Sylvia - I think you're only partly right. Ancestry UK has more freebies, but they're not absent from the US site.
I don't usually bother much as they're mostly US records - the last one I remember was free military records over memorial day weeekend (I think) in 2013.

Ancestry.com makes a bigger play via the WDYTYA series - they're showing reruns right now on The Learning Channel:
http://www.tlc.com/tv-shows
The Rachel McAdams episode has a lot of Canadian content as they investigate an ancestor who was a UELoyalist following the Revolutonary War.
Actually, they're showing 4 episodes tonight (8-midnight) and repeating 2 of them tomorrow (noon-2pm) [all times PST].
There's a full episode video of the McAdams show, but it won't play for me - maybe it's US only (it refers me to http://www.discovery.ca/ but that's not one of their shows).

I just checked the US site, and they're having a freebie right now thru Labor Day.

http://www.genesreunited.co.uk/boards/board/genealogy_chat/thread/1344136

Dazedconfused

If you have a gripe with Ancestry, wouldn't it be better to discuss it with them, rather than insulting people who can't afford the sub, and have taken legitimate advantage of a free offer.

Have you never, ever, accepted an offer of something which is free?

perhaps the next time Ancestry have a free weekend in the offing, you could plan to do something else for a couple of days, and thus avoid the frustration you so clearly suffer

Jean, as this thread keeps getting bumped up, it might be a good idea to amend the title so it doesn't give the impression that it is this weekend.

Jacqueline ..................



ouch!



a wee bit nasty, methinks :-)



and unnecessary






also, a bit behind the times





you have raised this thread and thus probably given a lot of people the false impression that the free weekend is this weekend ..............




it was LAST weekend, the UK Bank Holiday





Of course, as mgnv posted ..................


the US version of ancestry IS free this weekend, as this is the North American Statutory Holiday weekend, Labour Day

Just amended the title so as not to confuse people.

God forbid Ancestry should have a freebie every weekend.

Can't wait for the next one !!!!!!

Thank you Jean.

You're welcome KenSE .

Hello there Jacqueline,

Thank you very much for your PM.
I didn't bother to answer it as quite frankly what you suggested about my thread was STUPID .
This is a forum to discuss all aspects of genealogy , weather people agree on the subject or not .
In fact I thought it was a very lively discussion .
I would like to know what other GR members think .
If you don't want people to discuss matters regarding genealogy why are you on here .

Cheers
jean