Ron, I don't know about the U.K., but in the U.S., facts are not covered by copyright. So, while I would never take someone's written narrative without their permission, I have no qualms about documenting facts (names, dates, places) from online family trees in my database since it is only a "placeholder" for my finding the actual documents to substantiate those supposed facts. While I try to contact the submitter as you and Brian have suggested, they do not always respond, or the e-mail address is a dead address. That was the case with the example I posted (I did an extensive internet search for her and tried several methods and e-mail addresses in an attempt to contact her); I should have been clear about that.
When I do contact the submitter and they respond, I then cite the e-mail or actual documents that person shares, not necessarily the online family tree itself. I also include the relationship of the person, as Jenny has suggested, when they tell me or I can otherwise figure it out. Connie Ron Ferguson <ronfergy....@tiscali.co.uk> wrote: > Brian, > > You make and important point, one which has been alluded to > by others, that > is that the compiler of the site and the URL should always > be referenced. > Many sites, mine included, use the Creative Commons > License; permissions on > use vary between publishers, but mine prohibits commercial > use, publication > without attribution, and a prohibition on using photos > without expressed > consent. I do enforce it. > > It is regrettable that such steps are needed but regretably > users who lift, > and use sections without permission, or without giving > attribution, have > made this necessary. If people were polite and accepted > that others had put > a lot of work into compiling the data, and ask first, then > things might be > different. Unfortunately they are not. > > Ron Ferguson Legacy User Group guidelines: http://www.LegacyFamilyTree.com/Etiquette.asp Archived messages after Nov. 21 2009: http://www.mail-archive.com/legacyusergroup@legacyusers.com/ Archived messages from old mail server - before Nov. 21 2009: http://www.mail-archive.com/legacyusergr...@legacyfamilytree.com/ Online technical support: http://www.LegacyFamilyTree.com/Help.asp To unsubscribe: http://www.LegacyFamilyTree.com/LegacyLists.asp
