Genealogy Chat

I have just had a request from someone to view my tree, who i have never had any contact what so ever with before. I have replied by requesting further information from this person and why they think there may be a connection. However i would never send an automated request to anyone asking permission to view a their tree, without first explaining why. I find it really annoying and impersonal. Maybe genes should take a look at this annoying automated tool. Julie

Not really GR's fault, Julie. I've had the same thing (several times from the same chap). I've replied requesting info. on why, and where they think the connection is etc.- and still the same auto request comes back at intervals.! It just boils down to one of two things - either you are dealing with a complete computer novice who doesn't know how to send an e-mail(unlikely) - or they are just too bad mannered and dim to even consider asking more politely! In that case - just ignore them!! Jay.

Hello. So frustrating. I have had this happen a lot over the last couple of months. One email I received asked for permission to view my tree. I cautiously emailed back asking politely for a bit more information and never heard back from them. Another one emailed and asked me to open tree so he could copy it!!!!! Absolutely no idea who he was so again asked some polite questions and never heard from him again. This week I emailed someone with same surname asking for a bit of info on their family as could possibly be related to mine as I have gone back to 1772. Gave some names in mine and said was looking forward to hearing from them. Got two automated replies from them, one asking permission to open tree which I didn't. The other 'this is not my relative'. Not sure how they worked that one out. Pam.

Hi Julie I know the problem. Unless the person who is requesting that I open my tree for them to view can show me positively that they have a direct connection to the main trunk of my tree then I don't open the tree for viewing. If there is only a small connection then I usually ask them to contact me on a generic email address, like Hotmail.com or similar, where I'll willingly give them the relevant information. I have been caught before with opening my tree only to find out that their connection to my tree was extremely remote and that they have used the information and passed it off as their own research. Some people are OK with how I deal with requests, where a few others have been a little bit upset. That's life! The main thing is that the tree that we put here is actually not in the Public Domain, unlike Rootsweb and Familysearch, so if the owner of the tree doesn't want to open it up to be viewed, they don't have to. David