This thread has been heartwarming to read.  Thanks to everyone for venting 
your frustrations, all of which I wholeheartedly share.

I refer to the folks out there who create all those bad files as "copyists" 
and "name collectors" who include few, if any, dates or places.  After I 
bought the Family Tree Maker solftware in the late 1990s it took me 3 solid 
years to fully transcribe all the records, etc., etc., that I had accumulated 
over the previous 25 years into a "time line" format for each person, then 
search Ancestry and other online sources for actual records such as censuses. 
 Time consuming, yes, but a vital and necessary part of solid research.  My 
files have been uploaded to RootsWeb's WorldConnect Project since July 
2000.  While I've met distant cousins through these files that I could not 
possibly have connected with in any other way, I've also found other folks who 
have blatantly copied my transcriptions with no reference at all to me or my 
file, have never contacted me, and worse yet, have omitted the source 
references when they copied my transcriptions.  However, the kudos I have received 
from a few researchers who fully appreciate the time expended has, for the 
most part, outweighed the frustrations caused by the inexperienced and 
uncaring.  --Wilene

> Date:   Thu, 13 May 2010 11:43:14 -0400
> From:   Madaline Preston <[log in to unmask]>
> Subject: reliable sources
> 
> I didn't realize that when I vented about bad info on Ancestry that I 
> would
> start a series of replies that would clog up the VA list. (If appropriate,
> you may want to email me direct...or at least not hit REPLY.)   I am glad
> though to see so many of you are as upset as I am about the irresponsible
> posting of bad data.  I feel these characters don't care one way or the
> other, they just want to be able to say they put info on the web.
> 
> Thanks for your responses....keep up the good work of calling the
> perpetrators out.
> M. Preston

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