Suggestions

I've had a lot of these lately ~ have you?

It's like a stranger knocking on your door, and trying to walk in.

These "requests" usually come with NO information.

If the sender has given me access to their tree I MIGHT respond, asking for information on who they are looking for.

Most times I ignore these requests, sometimes I answer them with one word - "why?".

Why should I open my tree to a stranger?

What do you do with these requests?

Please GR, GET RID OF THIS!!!!!!!!!

I don't get requests to view my tree and I think it's because I'm the only silly bugger
that's trying to put our family tree together.

I wouldn't open my tree to a stranger and wouldn't expect a stranger to open their
tree to me.

Whilst I don't necessarily agree with these pre-formatted messages I don't see it as a huge issue. All you have to do is to ask for more information (there is actually a PF message for this purpose...!) although I prefer to use my own, on the lines of

Hi Fred,

Thanks for your message.

Could you please let me have some more details how you believe our trees might be connected and I will be happy to look into it.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Regards,

I don't have a problem with letting members have access to my tree but on my terms. There has to be a proven connection and I need to feel comfortable with the other person before I will consider it.

Yes I have had strangers asking me to view my tree without any names or so. I do not like this at all so what I normally do is reply and say that I do not let strangers view my tree unless they have a name or who they are looking for and if I am happy when they reply and say who they are looking for and then I let them view my tree.

Regards
Effie

My point is that the person who sends the request (more like a demand) should have the manners to give information in the first place.

I got fed up responding with "who are you looking for" and "please let me know who you are looking for, where and when they were born, and names of parents & spouse if possible".

It's the responsibility of the SENDER to give this information!!!
:-(

I have strangers ask to view my tree, I know we are not related but because I have replied to their look up request 2 minutes after they have posted it....I must be :-D

There used to be a title box to add the name of the person that was being researched, but they done away with that for some other stupid reason.

I just replied to another one.

This one did give some information - a name. She also asked (typed) a request to view my tree. My response was just as brief ~ "not a match".

No information regarding when or where the person was born, and ofcourse NO access to her tree.

RUDE!!!!!!!!!!

:-P

I replied to yet another one yesterday, told him I didn't open my tree for these demands, I also told him I had no idea who he was, or who he was looking for (because he gave me NO information) .............. here is his response (I have removed his name) -

:-(

Thank you for your short message 10 /1 / 2013.

In actual fact I was not DEMANDING access to your Family Tree , as a member of Genes Reunited I simply used their STANDARD REQUEST facility on their Webb Message Centre page . Your Tree popped up on the G.R. site as containing members that I have on my tree.

Sorry to have caused you the angst. No need for you to reply.

:-(

This person sent two Requests to view my tree. NO information at all, NO access to his tree!

GR, you'll have to do better than this!!! I will NOT open my tree to these demands!!!

:-(

I got another variant of a request today


I changed my profile photo on Wednesday ...........

........ and this person asked for my paternal grandmother's name and "did she emigrate from the UK"

lol Sylvia ~ at least you got some information.

The strangest one I've received ~

Who did your John Smith marry?

:-D

I just finished raging about this. I have had many genealogy subscriptions for many years, including Genes Reunited. Last year all sites made big changes. Ancestry is even advertising on TV that you just type in your ancestors name and a full family Tree will pop up - yes that would be someone else's research!! Problem is - it is not always correct. I use official records, or if I get a lead or info from a Genealogy pal - I follow up and view the actual records.
Genes Reunited must have made a change to suit this shorthand research - because more than ever I get the "Request to view my tree." No greeting, no info on the person asking. The joke is that my tree is posted on another site - open and free to view. But when people on GR ask to view it - it ticks me off. The whole point of GR was to interact with other researchers.
There is really nothing here for me now. Why should I pay for this subscription. Maybe GR should pay me? LOL

I got a message from Estelle ~ this is part of it:

As for the permission to view tree message, we have had a look at this and it seems that members are seeing that when searching trees and sending an initial message. This isn't right, they should just see the general message box where they add their own text. We are going to be correcting this.

At last!! I wonder how long it will take?

Funny thing ~ got another Request this morning, from someone with the SAME SURNAME as the person who sent the "nice" reply (above). Coincidence?

I hate the automated requests/responses!!

I never use them, preferring to write my own, but neither do I ignore them, because I know how frustrating it is to have unopened envelopes in my sent mail box. Like IGP above, I ask for more information and take it from there.

Nudge

Counting the days until this RUDE contact message has been removed!

Well, count the days Scozz - just don't hold your breath!

I told GR back in, oooh, September maybe, that these impersonal requests needed sorting. I too get requests to view my tree, giving no information as to why they wat to see it - but that's, partly, the fault of the standard request button. I usually write back and ask who they think they are related to and, then, if they reply with some sensible information I will reply and sometimes let them have access to my tree.

I've done that too

Some replied..... with a surname! No other information.

Some replied with "I think we have some of the same names"

In my opinion, it's NOT up to me to keep asking them questions!

AND... I delete that RUDE message, always compose my own. The default message has my BOARD NAME on it, even though My Account has NO to that option. I informed GR about this months ago, they said they'd fix it, I'm still waiting. :-P

As you said, I'm not holding my breath. Blue doesn't suit me, especially as a face colour :-)

I don't know why we should have to - but, if you click on the name of the person who has sent you the message (the one in blue/green at the top where it says 'Conversation with xxxx', then below that it says 'With xxxx') it brings up a new screen with information about the person doing the asking - including a line 'Regarding aaaa bbbb (1965)' which tells you who they think they have in common with you.

Yes, I agree, it's not what we, the recipient of these wrtched messages, should have to do. It should be down to the requestor to give us enough detail in their request. I agree Scozz, I never send the bland rude standard message but, like you, I compose my own giving details of the person I am interested in.

Come on GR let's at least have the old version back - or give us a better version that what we have now.

i like them to give me more information on our matches and ask them who they have in common if they only ask to see my tree......
:-)

Most of the time these people haven't opened THEIR tree!

RUDE!!!!!!!!!

I'm more than happy to help people, and give information, but I don't open my tree to many people. Certainly NOT to people who send these awful messages.

GR subscriptions entitles you to look at GR records (if you pay the right price), it DOES NOT ENTITLE you to see every tree you want.

Estelle said GR would get rid of it........ I wonder if it will happen this year? :-)

PS ~ I got another one this morning. I responded ~ "who are you looking for?" - she replied, with a name, nothing else.

It's now almost a month since Estelle sent me the message (as shown on an earlier post)

:-(

As for the permission to view tree message, we have had a look at this and it seems that members are seeing that when searching trees and sending an initial message. This isn't right, they should just see the general message box where they add their own text. We are going to be correcting this.

:-(


In that month I've had many requests to view my tree.

Fed up with them.

GR ~ GET RID OF IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

:-P