RootsWeb to be Moved to Ancestry.com

The following was written by Tim Sullivan, CEO of The Generations Network, Inc. and is posted here at the RootsWeb blog:  http://blogs.rootsweb.com/newsroom/

As you know, The Generations Network has hosted and funded the RootsWeb online community since June 2000, thereby maintaining RootsWeb as the world’s oldest and largest free genealogy website. TGN remains committed to this mission and believes that RootsWeb is an absolutely invaluable and complementary resource to Ancestry.com, our flagship commercial family history site. We believe in both services and want to see both communities prosper and grow.

As part of this goal, we have decided to “transplant” RootsWeb onto the Ancestry.com domain beginning next week. This move will not change the RootsWeb experience or alter the ease of navigation to or within RootsWeb. RootsWeb will remain a free online experience. What will be different is that the Web address for all RootsWeb pages will change from www.rootsweb.com to www.rootsweb.ancestry.com. Again, the RootsWeb experience is not changing.

The decision to host RootsWeb on Ancestry.com is being made for one primary reason: we believe that the users of each of our two main websites can be better served if they have access to the best services available on both. Simply stated, we want to introduce more Ancestry.com users to RootsWeb and vice versa.

Today, despite the fact that Ancestry.com and RootsWeb.com are the two most frequently visited family history sites on the Web, only 25 percent of visitors to Ancestry.com visited RootsWeb in January 2008, while only 20 percent of visitors to RootsWeb visited Ancestry.com (according to Comscore Media Metrix). We think we will serve our users best by doing a better job of letting them know what is available on both Ancestry.com and RootsWeb. Hosting RootsWeb on Ancestry.com is the first step towards making this happen, but we will absolutely look for more and better ways down the road to advance this goal.

Hosting RootsWeb on Ancestry.com will also make it easier for us to make changes and improvements to the RootsWeb experience in the future.

All old RootsWeb URLs will continue to work, whether they are bookmarks or favorites, links to or from a hosted page or URLs manually typed in your Internet browser. We will have a redirect in place so that all old URLs will automatically end up on the appropriate new RootsWeb URL. You will never need to update your old favorites or links unless you want to. We have worked to make the transition as seamless as possible for our users, and this change should have a minimal impact on your experience with the site.

RootsWeb will remain a free online experience dedicated to providing you with a place where our community can find their roots together. If you have questions regarding this change please email them to feedback@rootsweb.com.

Thanks,

Tim Sullivan
CEO
The Generations Network, Inc.

Comments

[John in Australia]

Any mention of Ancestry in the Genealogical community starts a torrent of feedback on any site that mentions it. I have no love of the company and under no circumstances whatsoever would I ever contribute any of my information to them. That is not say I never share, I share only with trusted fellow researchers, no-one else.

Given the enmity that exists in the community against Ancestry, it is amazing that the company still exists. The answer to the problem is simple. STOP SUPPORTING ANCESTRY. They get away with everything they do because people keep using their services and they know it. Hence their arrogance and ability to do as they please.

Worldwide, the genealogical community is big enough to put Ancestry out of business tomorrow. So get to it. Yes, there will be short term pain but our community has always been about self help. We will find new ways to keep our information sharing free or at least low cost if we really want to.

Bottom line is, if you don't want to help fix the problem, don't complain about it!

[Linda]

WHY would Ancestry ever put RootsWeb in their paid subscription service? They would be biting the hands that feed them! It's ridiculous to think that they would jeopardize themselves by alienating the genealogy community. Anyone who is pulling out of RootsWeb is making a huge mistake.

[Marjorie]

Linda, Ancestry has _already_ alienated the genealogy community. Their shark takeover tactics, empty promises, overblown prices, and constant spam if you sign up.... I would not willingly give them another dime. UGLY company, and not getting any prettier. If we all withheld our dimes, it might make a difference. But nobody at Ancestry actually _Cares_ what we think.

[Nancie]

I refuse to post any more hard work on rootsweb. I have been posting almost each day old newspaper articles on Spartanburg SC website for over 10 years, and hoped they would remain 'free'. I always type in on the end- 'share, don't sell'...better not see that rootsweb will charge for all those postings !
What is an alternative for us out there ?

[Lindsey]

Posted by: John in Australia | March 15, 2008 at 02:39 AM:

"...The answer to the problem is simple. STOP SUPPORTING ANCESTRY."

Crikeys John! Why don't you quit telling us what to do and keep your opinion down under, where it belongs. Have a good day Mate, and I'm keeping my Ancestry subscription.

[Randy Seaver]

I have an Ancestry subscription and use it every day. I couldn't do my genealogy research effectively without it. It's worth the $155 per year for the US subscription (that's about 40 cents a day, folks). I understand that some people are against businesses, or have been hurt or feel slighted by Ancestry.

As far as I can tell, the USGenWeb Project is not hosted by TGN or Rootsweb. There are no TGN/Ancestry/Rootsweb banners on the USGenWeb Project web page. There is no indication of who owns it at all. Some of the state pages are still hosted on Rootsweb, but many state pages have moved off Rootsweb. Many user-submitted pages of genealogy information are still hosted on Rootsweb. If these were all migrated off, and probably only the submitter can do that, it can be done since the submitter owns the content, according to the Rootsweb Acceptable Use Policy (I recommend that you all read all of it).

There is healthy competition in the genealogy "industry" right now, and that is good. Ancestry is the biggest commercial player, but FamilyLink.com, Footnote.com, GenealogyBank, FamilySearch and others are major players. Competition is good for the consumer - that's you and me. I hope the competition gets even more fierce. Competition means more databases online, and some (probably many) will be offered for free (FamilySearch Indexing and digitizing continues - before we know it there will be all of the census, all of the old state VRs, and much more).

My opinion is that TGN/Ancestry will make every effort to keep the Rootsweb pages free because they made a deal with the Rootsweb owners. If they don't keep them free, the backlash against them from the genealogy community would be fierce. They've made some PR mistakes in past years and I don't think they are anxious to make more.

To me - this is a tempest in a teapot. This is a re-branding exercise that will increase Ancestry's traffic statistics, and thereby get higher advertising revenue. More people may subscribe to Ancestry as a result of seeing that Rootsweb is hosted and supported (FREE TO ALL - still) by Ancestry. Perhaps Ancestry will create a FREE section on their web site so that a researcher (including non-subscribers) can search the Rootsweb content. That would be a major addition to Ancestry's search results. I see the whole thing as a win-win.

I understand why others don't - to each their own. We disagree.

[A huge mistake if sites become paid sites.]

I hope this isn't the beginning of all paid sites at Ancestry, that will really not benefit anyone. Without the free sites there certainly will be an explosion in new genealogy sites, As it stands Ancestry does create a profit partly because of rootsweb. Change this combination and the flood gates will open with tons of free and paid sites using the same business plan.

[robert]

I'm pleased to see that no one is having the wool pulled over their eyes.

For a long while now I've been copying down the items I need for my family research, along with a link to shere they were presently posted.

I've found that since 1998 many things have moved, disappeared, or suddently appeared with a cost conected to them.

I advise all to keep the content they find relevant on their own home computers and it might be wise to burn a cd for a backup once in a while as I'm told hard drive crashes are inevitable.

Its a shame that entreprenural interests are superior to genealogical preservation interests but thats the way it looks. Of course rents an costs are rising and that is certianly a consideration.

But, those of us who have been using the internet over the past 10 years have learned that nothing is really free, and that promises are easily broken over time. Be aware.

Robert in Los Angeles

[Marianne Fisher]

Regarding the USGenWeb Project...the main site is
www.usgenweb.org
The USGenWeb Archives is hosted by Rootsweb ... USGenWeb holds many of their special collections and a number of the State / County pages on Rootsweb.
I have yet to see anything in writing from USGenWeb that indicates any plans on their part to move the archives out of reach of the Rootsweb / TGN full merger.

[Linda]

My USGenWeb county sites are among the largest in the country and I had the good sense to move them from the Rootsweb server last year. It was an enormous job with more than half a million files -- but well worth it.

Of course, we already know that Ancestry/TGN is not above taking the files, regardless of where they are stored. They did so last summer and then introduced their "Biographies Collection," which included files copied from all over the internet, including MANY original biographies, and countless other files I had created with my own time and money, and which were stored in my own domain space. - I'm sure they still have them since NO ONE has ever stated that the files they cached have been destroyed. And I have seen some of my files STILL on the site, with "Donated" as the source. They also have files of obituaries from my site, which include my own graphics and html pages.

Rootsweb is not a money maker and it will eventually be dispensed with.

I do think that the LDS is going to do TGN in eventually because the LDS has started putting their holdings online for free.

[Alan Fairhurst]

I'm also of the opinion that this move will eventually lead to users of Rootsweb being charged. Ancestory.com take every opportunity to make money so they won't let this chance slip by.

[Ginny in Poughkeepsie]

What about the lists?

Does this mean what listers post to Roots Lists will now appear on Ancestry message boards - Since Ancestry Message Boards Gateway to Roots Lists will this now also work in reverse?

Does this mean all Previous posts to Roots Lists will now appear on Ancestry Message Boards? If so seems to me this means Rootsweb is once again doing what they did back in 2001.

I never did agree with Rootsweb when they very first (2001) gave up their "Boards" to Ancestry without giving the original posters the opportunity to delete their posts before this happened.

After a battle with Ancestry I was able to have Ancestry delete my 179 Rootsweb Board Posts from Ancestry but it twasn't easy.

I may just very well stop SHARING with posts to the Rootsweb Lists and now post everything I wish to share on the USGenNet Boards.

Ginny in Poughkeepsie
USGenNet County Coordinator
Putnam County, NY
http://www.usgennet.org/usa/ny/county/putnam/
Dutchess County,NY
http://www.usgennet.org/usa/ny/county/dutchess/

USGenNet, a nonprofit, tax-exempt public benefit corporation. USGenNet Sites must comply with USGenNet's Conditions of use, http://www.usgennet.org/usgnhome/policy/cou.html - no claims made to the copyrights of individual submitters.

JOIN USGenNet http://www.usgennet.org/#join
Your donations are TAX-DEDUCTIBLE

[Stephen J. Danko]

I'd like to make a suggestion in response to the comment "Ancestry had dumb down their search engine some time ago. I do not want to search 5 pages of incorrect results to locate the one I am looking for".

It appears that you are conducting a ranked search (this is the default). If you'd like to conduct an exact search and avoid having to search pages of incorrect results, just click on the box "Exact Matches Only" and I think you'll get the search you want.

Conducting both types of searches has helped me find elusive records, and I've found a boatload of relevant records on Ancestry.com over the past several years.

Without my subscription to Ancestry.com and online access to indexes linked to actual images of historical documents, I'd be years behind where I am now in my research.

[Linda]

Marjorie,

You and the rest just do not know what you are talking about. You all waste so much time dissing Ancestry. They have NOT taken over RootsWeb and incorporated it into their paid subscription service and they are NOT going to either! Not to mention that they are NOT the only company out there adding records and charging for their services! Why do all of you only attack Ancestry? In my opinion it's just plain ignorance on your part. As far as the cost, have you bothered to check out what some other companies charge versus what they actually have to offer? I know you will find that percentage wise, Ancestry offers a far wider range of information at a value price. They also have one of the best search engines I have ever encountered. How many gen websites can you search by first name only or by other criteria like age, lcoation of birth WITHOUT A FIRST OR LAST NAME? Sure their indexing at times is erroneous, but they do respond and they do care, despite what all of you naysayers think. I get so sick of all your nitpicking! Enough. I have better things to do than to waste my time arguing with narrow minded people who don't see the forest for the trees.

[Jack Waldron]

I see a lot of negative comments here. Now here's some factual information rather than sword rattling. Since we are genealogists we should try to use facts and not conjecture. The facts as I see them are thus:
1) Ancestry hosts Rootsweb,
a) it may even be on the same server farm as Ancestry already;
2) Ancestry spends a ton of money investing in digitizing records and then charging a fee for membership;
3) the cost of membership is relatively cheap for the number of datasources that can be searched simultaneously;
a) don't believe me, try ordering all the films for that uncle born in "Bavaria" between 1880 and 1940 and tell
me that's cheaper than getting a monthly membership (feel free to substitute real values here);
4) many of the entries on Rootsweb have their own copyrights, and thus belong to whoever wrote them,
a) were Ancestry to misappropriate those copyrights they could be looking at huge payouts to the lawful
copyright owners and Ancestry isn't run by idiots who don't know that;
5) Ancestry will never "own" the National Archives, it would violate many state and federal laws and the
Constitution, so you can scratch this off as mania fantasy;
6) Ancestry is looking for ways to make more money... go figure ... they're a for profit company. So let them
make their money, last I looked this was a free country.

Now for my personal opinion, I think a lot of you owe Ancestry an apology, you're not very cordial, friendly or thankful for the free gift that they have given you for a long time. Shame, shame, shame on you who have done nothing but put down this company that is providing this free hosting. Shame on Ancestry for pretending this was an enhancement, a little honesty might have prevented some of the angry posts. Oh well. Finally I do not currently have an Ancestry subscription, but have had in the past, and will again if I ever need to. I don't agree with everything they do, nor will I condone or allow them to charge for my genealogy research. If you want to ensure your information remains free, make sure to include a copyright notice and license in your posts, make it part of your email signature. No one can force you to give up your copyright without due consideration.

[Donna]

Well, Linda, you may the $155 to blow on Ancestry, but the rest of us just don't have it like that. Rootsweb, sooner than later, WILL make people start paying to use their site - that's a gurantee (oh, yesh, what's that catch-all excuse: "It's a business decision").

Once upon a time, I remember the SSDI was free, then the folks at Ancestry saw genealogy becoming a hobby for more and more people and they saw dollar signs and now they charge obscene amounts of money for a "subscription."

In some cases, Ancestry is helpful, but nothing beats research using good ol' paper (whenever it's available).

Besides, I'd rather spend the $155 on food, clothes, paying bills, and assorted essentials. Ancestry and Rootsweb can go to hell.

[Linda]

Donna, For a genealogist you are woefully misinformed. The SSDI is FREE on Ancestry and on RootsWeb and several other places. Where you got that idea, I just don't have a clue.

I am NOT rich, I get my Ancestry subscription as a Christmas present and it's always the best present I get each year.

You are SO wrong, so very wrong, RootsWeb WILL remain free.

I am sure I am not the only one who finds your final statement to be both out of line and just plain rude.

[Betty]

I love it!!! Please keep the dialogue going! This country needs more people who are willing to step up and speak up! I have concerns when one blogger attempts to silence another because they disagree!

[Loretta]

By my site name above, you can tell I've had my pages at RootsWeb for a very, very long time -- since the days, in fact, when I happily PAID!!!! $100 per year for the privilege of placing my site there with room to grow. When RootsWeb saw the necessity of accepting advertising to be able to pay the bills, they were able to offer the hosting to continue without charging.
If in order to continue at a site which offers such easy upload, I might have to again pay for server space -- within reason -- I will continue to do so.
I DO have concerns that I would actually be able to remove my content if that were to happen, but the name of the game is SHARE. That's the whole concept behind RootsWeb and USGenWeb, where I was a county host for several years.
I work in the newspaper industry, in a newsroom. Believe me, subscriptions do not pay my hourly wage; advertising does.

[Loretta]

Oops. Forgot to put my site address: http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~loretta
or click my name in the above post.

[Judith E. Burns]

Yes this is quite a sore spot is it not - but Do you rememeber?

Broderbund
Family Treemaker
genealogy.com
Ancestry.com
Rootsweb.web

They are all now The Generations Network, Inc - Now we are getting into really big business with TGN aka yes maybe the subscription fees for Anscetry.com are a drop in a bucket for many to afford - but yet a luxury that others feel they can not afford.

Yes they will never own the state and National Archives - but they too have changed dramtically - does anyone remember when you could order Pnesion papers for $10 or less? - What are they noe over or near ?????
and you get the same amount of copies now as you did for the back when fee!

Its is surprising that they have not acquired Hertiage Quest as yet - maybe it still will happene in the future - I can remember when it was AGLL and you could get microfilm, microfiche on home loan for a reasonable fee , a neswletter and eventually even a Genealogy help magazine - now thats gone and they are LIBRAY ACCESS ONLY

Yes Genealogy is for the well to do - if one can not find "free" Information such as presented with UsGenWeb - and others that are willing to "SHARE"

Maybe we are all crying "WOLF" and yet maybe we are not - But in today's economy - for me Genealogy is on the very bottom of things to "PAY" or to "SUBSCRIBE" I donated my Gedcom's to LDS - for sharing years ago but have not updated them as files neeed to be cleaned up - Over the years since I became got into Genealogy - I have dropped many memberships since money was needed to survive not for "frivoulous things" all reamins is my life memberships that I paid for that were back then at $100 or under - and I have kept my National Genealogical SOciety membership - and at times I wonder why since they no longer have the library loan program

Yes - think back rememeber -

[Mary McIndoe]

I suspect that it is somewhat inevitable that many sites within the USGenWeb Project will pull away and set up on different servers, and in many ways, I wouldn't blame them for doing so. As a former county coordinator within the Project, only the entry pages to my county sites were hosted on Rootsweb, not because I didn't appreciate what RW gave to the Project but rather because of the limitations of what could actually be done with the free space from a programming standpoint. I wanted folks to be able to add their own data with as little intervention from me as possible, so I created my own sites on a separate server that allowed that to happen easily. Perhaps this changeover with RW moving under the Ancestry domain is a good time for the Project folk to take a look at how those sites are currently operated and consider looking at some alternatives for the sites. As they are now, most county sites are hand coded and updating them can be a very time-consuming process. It doesn't have to be that way.

[Neal]

In RootsWeb Review, Volume 3, No. 5 dated 2 February 2000, then-CEO Robert Tillman promised: “Rootsweb promises never to merge your GEDCOM with those of others, charge you or others to access it, or burn it onto a CD and sell it for profit. Ancestry has now merged all Rootsweb Users’ family trees into its “OneWorldTree” database and charges people $155 per year to access it. So much for promises.

The current Rootsweb Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) gives them the right to "use" submitted content in any way they choose: "By submitting Submitted Content to RootsWeb.com, you grant MyFamily.com, Inc., the corporate host of the Service, a limited license to the Submitted Content to use, host, and distribute that Submitted Content and allow hosting and distribution on co-branded Services of that Submitted Content."
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/rootsweb/aup.html
I have heard that a new policy is being developed that will be even more generous to TGN/Ancestry. Stay tuned.

A couple things I wonder about:
- What portion of the RootsWeb traffic that Ancestry is trying to absorb into itself was accounted for by the USGenWeb sites that are now leaving?
- How long will it be before we see all the messages from the Rootsweb mail lists become "branded?"
- How long will it be before the IPO?

[Eric Wood]

Kathi clarified that Ancestry is already owned by a 'third' party -- TGN (The Generations Network) which in turn had a $300 million dollar investment (October 2007) by a venture
capital firm - Spectrum Equity:

http://www.tgn.com/
http://tgn.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=43&item=111

Thanks to Kathi for telling me about this!

[Teresa Obst]

Hi. I'd like to say that our website(s), myrootsplace.com and genspaces.com are a free alternative to ancestry. We are working on a large collection of records and we have the 1790 census images. We are non profit, and could always use volunteers and members!