Genealogy Chat

Hi, Is it me or do you get a declining number of people responding to contacts ? I suspect that it is due in part to people becoming fed up with spam email and never checking. However I sometimes wonder if all contacts go out ? anyone else find this? Maybe I'm becoming paranoid.

It could be that some people change their ISP and don't update this on the websites they are registered with which is a shame especially when you think you have found someone and they don't respond!!

Jonathan I have been a member for a year now and this has always been the case unfortunately. I would say I've probably been replied to about 30% of the time. I think the main reasons are that people come onto the site and because it is free to put your tree on, they just put a few on then never bother with the site again. Also, as someone has suggested, they may change their ISP. Another reason could be that they are no longer members. Don't forget to check in 'your contacts' on this site as sometimes messages go straight in there on not to outlook express. Having said all that, I emailed somebody the other day who had a name I was interested in. It was posted as a new name so must have been added within the last few days. I'm still waiting for a reply, so perhaps some people are just downright ignorant. If people contact me I always try and reply even if there is no connection. Jeanette

Don't forget the problems that seem to be happening in that some contacts don't seem to go through, either from or to the initial sender. I sent one on Tuesday, and it has not even been confirmed yet. Paul

I have never missed a confirmation but I agree that in over a year - only about 30% of people ever reply.

I've mentioned this before but I'll say it again in case it's of interest. I emailed someone who had put two surnames on the board. One of them was his own name (I assume) and the other someone born in the 20s with an approximate date. I sent him some details of this person from the surname database I have of just that name. What was his response? He removed the person from the board and did not reply to me!!! I was only trying to be helpful, was he scared I was trying to develop a meaningful relationship or something? At least I knew my message had got to him - in more ways than one apparently! Anne

Hello, I know exactly what you mean , I get a little miffed when I allow everyone I contact to view my tree and very few allow me the same politeness.................. So if i have contacted anybody reading this please mention if you would like to view my tree as at the mo in one of my miffed moments I tend to wait and only allow on invite .,,,,,, Honest Im not usually this churlish but after almost a year , endless mails and offers to share my date and very few invites you can imagine why............ Im actually quite placid honest lol. Good luck with all your researching Sheila x

I have contacted a couple of folk recently and haven't received a response from either. What I have had over the last couple of days is incoming emails removed by my ISP because they contained the virus W32 Netsky-D. I didn't recognise the email addresses but they could well have been the GC members I desperately want to hear from. Don't think there's anything to be done in this situation Jill

I have raised this with GC. It would be good if when you logged in there was an indicator that you had x *NEW* contacts waiting, rather like email. This way even if you have changed account, you're more likely to mintor your contacts as you login to GC (assuming you still do)

When I have someone contact me re a connection although I may not recognise the E_mail address the subject always says contacted from GC. I reply as soon as I have read the message. It is the height of bad manners not to respond even if there is no conection. We all get excited if we think that we have found a connection to a rellie and the reply can either confirm that or let us move on. I think it is a sign of the times now. A friend of mine sent off 5 applications for jobs enclsing stamped addressed envelopes and received no reply this has happened to many people obviously not brought up correctly. So anyone reading this PLEASE REPLY to GC E_mails. Pat

Hi everyone, as a newbie of 24hrs ! I am intrigued by some of the comments. I agree that some folks are ignorant, but have you also considered that most folks now have JUNK MAIL boxes and don't always look in them to check for 'friendly' mail. I know that after 4 days, my junk box deletes the contents, so I'm in a position to check every night before switching off to check all incoming mail .. but not everyone remembers or has the time to do this, and many e.mails slip through the system. I have had it done to me, many times, but luckily I understand what happens now. With reference to 'viewing other people's tree or letting them view yours, I'm not aware of this facility ?? !! call me stupid ! but I am obviously not the only one !!! from what I have read ... maybe people like me should find out MORE about what this site actually offers. regards to everyone for a brill site Elaine.