Hobbyist/Serial Posters

[mshergold]

maybe , rootschat allows a chatterer to post a photo to be restored, from when a quantity of 50 genealogy talk posts has been achieved to show the genuine historian........  as I have noticed there are a couple of chatterers that always seem to have pictures on the boards for restoration..... or each rc chatterer is only permitted say one every 6 months......  it really depends on the artistes doin the restoring i spose...


i have used the photo board three times in the four years that i have been priviliged to use the forum.....

i have some other photos need doing but i feel guilty about putting them up just in case i am asking tooooo much in restoring....


lookups are fine for anyone who asks, but, what i have noticed is there are an extremely large amount of chatterers who seem to be either doing a school assignment or a genealogy course and never come back in response to the research replies.........    dunno maybe a survey question needs to be performed by trystan and sarah on the common board??


just some thoughts.....

[*Sandra*]

I don't think the majority of our "hobby posters" are of the commercial variety. 

They are mainly people who research a particular person or subject purely as a hobby.

Others buy photo albums or postcards and such like from various sources and decide to research the lives of the people in those albums etc.  Again - purely as a hobby.

I think the point being made by Sandra is that by using RC for that research - are they abusing the goodwill of the members and should they be discouraged from posting?

When a hobby poster is "upfront" about why they want help - the reader can make an informed decision on whether to use their time and resources to provide the info

Unfortunately - the majority of hobby posters are not "upfront" and phrase their post in ways that lead you to believe it's genuine FH.  We have also experienced the ones who blatantly lie about their reasons for the request.

Some hobby posters are contributors to other forums connected to their hobby and some of us  have seen at first hand how they claim credit for info they post on those forums - even though it's come from RC.

You got it Carol.  If it is a "hobby" buying photographs and letters and deciding to research the lives of the people in those albums etc. Then as you say that is purely a hobby and as hobbies go, they cost money.  That's where the hobby needs to be financed from there own pockets.
If you were stamp collecting as a hobby - a philatelist - stamp collector wouldn't expect everyone to buy the stamps for them - would they 

Is it fair that such people take advantage of a site like RootsChat? 

Should "hobby posters" be deterred from using our time and efforts in this way?


Sandra

[sarah]

This would be where I would be annoyed. If I am/we are providing a commercial benefit then we/I should be paid in accordance.

We already do have RootsChat Rules set up regarding posting for a commercial benefit, and that is commercial posts are only allowed on the for sale/wanted/events board.

The photograph restorations are monitored by myself, with the posts being monitored to make sure that each members photograph gets the attention deserved.

dunno maybe a survey question needs to be performed by trystan and sarah on the common board?

If anyone has any concerns on this subject they can contact Trystan or myself directly and we can answer any questions you may have. I only happened to stumble against this post before having to rush off, members can help get any attention quickly by clicking on the "report to moderator button"

Sarah

[groom]

I can't really see what enjoyment people who buy photos etc to track people as a hobby get out of it, if they then get others to do all the work. If I was doing that, half the fun of it would be to try and discover things for myself, not having it handed to me on a plate.

[Annie65115]

Hmm, I'm feeling a bit uneasy as I realise that I would probably fit the label of "hobbyist" as used in this thread.

I've got as far as I can for the moment with my family tree and am now researching something that I've been promising myself for years -- the inhabitants of the local graveyard. It's only a small place but it turns out there are so many stories behind the basic facts on the gravestone!

I plan to write up all the info and gift it to the church who are interested in the idea of it being made into a booklet, for sale to help church funds. I won't be making a penny from it myself (but I have forked out where necessary for info).

I've done a LOT of work on this over the last 3 months and am really enjoying finding out more about the area -- and I have posted a few queries here on RC in the hope that someone could do a Derbyshire lookup for me (the church may be local, the records office isn't!) or help me untangle my thoughts with one particular confusing family. I think I have said in most, if not all, of my posts that it is local history, not family history. I'm also well aware that any info provided on the threads will be there to help other people in the future, should they join RC looking for the same families.

Now - am I doing wrong? Because if I am, I can only apologise and say that I was unaware.

ps I should also add that I try to help people with requests if it's in my sphere of knowledge or I have the relevant info, without questioning why they want the info!

[*Sandra*]

Hi Annie,

No your not doing anything wrong, what you are doing is for the benefit of your community, church and your own enjoyment and is to be commended.  You are putting your hand in your pocket and financing your hobby and just need a little help from time to time, there is nothing at all wrong in that and doesn't fall into the category of offenders we speak of here. 

We are talking about more persistent offenders in this instance.

Wish you well with your little project and would love to hear if you get to fruition with your little booklet.

Sandra

[Annie65115]

 

This is it:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beauchief_Abbey

The local landowners owned the abbey as well and enough has already been written about them n t'internet. The graveyard commemorates other local folk - farmers and the labourers who worked for them; the 18th century scythemakers who worked in the mills on the river 1/4 mile away; then more recently, the travelling oxo salesman, the breeder of fancy chickens; the man who died after being mugged, the woman whose brother was known as the "scourge of Eckington" (before becoming the scourge of the Antipodes when the local courts had had enough of him!).

Every stone commemorates someone who had a story to tell.

They may not be my family, but they feel like it now!

[groom]

I certainly wouldn't hesitate to help you , Annie, as you are up front about what you are doing and that it isn't your family. The people that Sandra is talking about are those who give the impression that it is personal research, and who make very little attempt to discover things for themselves.

[3sillydogs]

I have to agree with Groom, half the fun of doing family research is finding the info yourself.  I don't see the point of starting out on it and then letting others do all the work, and then pass it off as their own.

I have had help over the years from chatters and it has really been appreciated as research from my neck of the woods is something of a challenge and have really appreciated the help that I have had,  it is often that little push that opens a whole new avenue of discovery, and that is the fun of it.

I have always tried to help where I can and will continue to do so.