My Tangent – What Ticks Me Off…Comparable to Pollen Allergies?

Good Day,

I am not upset, nor have I increased the level of my blood pressure… I am remaining calm and collected. AQ and SC I am not into any type of meditative Yoga where I can “de-pressurize” myself… But I have to keep repeating to myself; James, is the frustration or aggravation worth it. Are dead ancestors or genealogy research worth getting myself in a snit? And that is “s” “n” “i” “t”.

I just discovered a couple of Family Trees online using information that that I have spent the past couple of years plodding through papers, and microfilms, and documenting, and sourcing, and ensuring that I have good and viable citations. There are NO citations, NO sources. And there is NO credit where credit is due. Bloody hell… and bloody cheeky!

(And yes the poster of Metropolis is available in public domain.)

When I find some information, there is a fair bit of time spent digging and transcribing and translating and verifying and working the data into the conglomeration of my genealogy. The reason I do this is for me, yes… but I also do this work for other members of my Family Tree and for others who may or may not be interested in my genealogy.

It is a belittling and demeaning when I discover family information and data online without any credit, credit to me or to other persons who have been so considerate and kind to provide assistance and help. Without credit or acknowledgment means that the author or the instigator is not conscious or cognizant of the onerous research and work involved in the gathering of the data and information. S/he, the perceived author, is giving him-herself immediate and un-due credit.

And I don’t live in a bubble… What goes out into the Internet, is out in the Internet, be it the Cloud or some online database or server. It is there forever…

At the bottom of every page in my blog, A Genealogy Hunt, I include:

“Please Note: All information and data... and work found on this blogsite and website is available for your use. Please do not be a "scab" and steal this information without acknowledgement of source. Also pleased be advised that there could be Copyright issues and legal yada...yadada...das... so be prewarned...”

There are going to be those who, without conscience “borrow” work done by others. Please do not become one of those malefactors. There are no instructors or professors out there attempting to stymie plagiarism. Hopefully there will never ever be Internet Police.

I just ask one favor. If you so decide to use my work, please, please make sure that you give credit to me or to the ones who did the work, when credit is due. Please do not be a “scab”.

Jim