Ok Folks.  I started this.  I've read all the messages and I'm very pleased
that so many have pitched in to voice an opinion.  I already had more or
less made up my mind as to the worthiness of the discs being sold by the
LDS.

Here's what I think:

The data on the discs being sold (by the LDS and WFT) is only as good as the
data that has been submitted to be included on the disc.  (That rates a
DUH?)

The LDS data is obtained from people who actually submit data to the LDS.
It may not be their original data.  The data that the WFT publishes is
obtained from various sources and probably the submitter to those sources is
unaware of the fact that his/her data is going to be published for
sale/profit.  (Score:  LDS: -1 / WFT: -2)

Some people 'collect' family data, and post/submit it to any and every site,
with no basis or documentation to back up their data.  (I got an e-mail from
someone researching one of my family names, and he bragged that he had over
2 million names in his database. Did he type in every B------   that he
found in phone books into his database?)  (Score:  LDS: 0 / WFT: 0)

There are genealogists who have worked for years and documented every bit of
their data, only to have it 'appropriated' by others and submitted to
various sites/data publishers, sometimes with additional 'facts' that are in
error.  (This time -1 to -1)

The publishers of genealogy discs can not / or do not care to verify the
veracity of the data. (Another -1 to -1).

So, what have I decided?

I may, in fact, buy a couple of the LDS discs.  I know that they are not
perfect.  If they were perfect they could probably get more that a 'fin' per
disc.  (For you younger readers - a 'fin', a fiver, $5.00.)

And I'll also buy all the genealogy books that I can afford, and I'll visit
my local FHC and order those microfilms to sit and go through, and continue
looking for my Cornevins, and Beaubians, and Tutwilers, and Johnsons, and
Minters, and Woodsons, and all those other names that I'm  still looking
for.

And I will add them to my database and I will document where I found the
data.

OK?

Peg

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