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Scotland's People answer to subscription queries

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  • Scotland's People answer to subscription queries

    I asked if there could be a yearly. quarterly or monthly subscription charge.

    ------------------------
    Good afternoon

    The site is a pay as you use one - there are no subscriptions etc.

    The charges are detailed at
    http://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/content/help/index.aspx?r=554&409 - there
    are currently no plans for that to change.

    Regards

    Alison

    ScotlandsPeople
    ---------------------------

    Bad news if as we have seen lately the cartel getting together to buy/mop up information.
    Last edited by Guest; 07-02-08, 15:46.

  • #2
    I knew that SP had had no plans to offer subscriptions but don't understand why it's bad news now??
    With Experience comes Realisation

    Comment


    • #3
      Like I said.

      Bad news if as we have seen lately the cartel getting together to buy/mop up information.

      Maggie

      Comment


      • #4
        Scotland Online have bought/mopped up Findmy past.

        Scotland's People Haven't.

        Findmypast will continue to operate in the same way.

        People researching English ancestry will have no need to go to Scotlands People Website. Unless of course they find a Scottish ancestor along the way.
        With Experience comes Realisation

        Comment


        • #5
          Originally posted by BigShaz McCreadie View Post
          Scotland Online have bought/mopped up Findmy past.

          Scotland's People Haven't.

          Findmypast will continue to operate in the same way.

          People researching English ancestry will have no need to go to Scotlands People Website. Unless of course they find a Scottish ancestor along the way.
          Which includes me. My father is Scottish.

          Many English people have Scottish ancestors as does Scottish people have Irish ancestors!

          What I was trying to say is that perhaps they need to think about a subscription alternative because its going to be too expensive otherwise. Because they haven't done it doesn't mean they can't

          Epsecially for English people looking for Scottish ancestors, being not close enough to Edinburgh as it were.

          Ancestry gives the Scots and Irish ample records for England and Wales for searching with subscription. So why can't Scotland's People consider it too for us Irish, English and Welsh.

          Its okay at the moment for me because £6.00 per 30 credits is probably cheaper than a flight or train fair to Edinburgh. But if I pay that every week/month its not so cheap.

          Maggie
          Last edited by Guest; 07-02-08, 16:44.

          Comment


          • #6
            Originally posted by maggie_4_7 View Post
            Which includes me. My father is Scottish.

            Many English people have Scottish ancestors as does Scottish people have Irish ancestors!

            What I was trying to say is that perhaps they need to think about a subscription alternative because its going to be too expensive otherwise. Because they haven't done it doesn't mean they can't

            Epsecially for English people looking for Scottish ancestors, being not close enough to Edinburgh as it were.

            Ancestry gives the Scots and Irish ample records for England and Wales for searching with subscription. So why can't Scotland's People consider it too for us Irish, English and Welsh.


            Its okay at the moment for me because £6.00 per 30 credits is probably cheaper than a flight or train fair to Edinburgh. But if I pay that every week/month its not so cheap.

            Maggie
            I don't have an ancestry subscription although I considered getting one just so I could help out on here. It was pointed out to me that it would be pointless as it's not much use to a person with Scottish Ancestry.

            I have enjoyed a couple of free ancestry trials in the past and didn't find it to be of much use to me.

            I will admit that I wish SP would offer subscriptions (I live in Northampton now so can't just nip along to register house either) but then how would it work?

            SP offers better indexes and downloadable images. Maybe if they offered subscriptions they would end up like findmypast, searching indexes and then having to send off for certs.

            Whilst I have actually spent :o actually I'm not going to declare :D (an awful lot) on SP I do like the site and would hate for it to become like findmypast.
            With Experience comes Realisation

            Comment


            • #7
              I just think for search purposes they could give a better deal and as for one's ancestry in these Isles we are all intermixed I'm not sure that makes a difference in Great Britain, for some it might but for most it doesn't.

              I wasn't suggesting it became like Findmypast. I just feel they should rethink their site and payment methods.

              Maggie
              Last edited by Guest; 07-02-08, 17:55.

              Comment


              • #8
                Just try researching a few Irish ancestors on the Irish pay sites and you will find Scotland's People extremely good value in comparison!
                KiteRunner

                Every five years or so I look back on my life and I have a good... laugh"
                (Indigo Girls, "Watershed")

                Comment


                • #9
                  Originally posted by KiteRunner View Post
                  Just try researching a few Irish ancestors on the Irish pay sites and you will find Scotland's People extremely good value in comparison!
                  I haven't yet but considering my Scottish ancestry I'm sure I will have to.

                  It isn't the point.

                  The point is whoever it is needs to rethink the way they charge for this information. We have to remember that this is OURS not the beaurocrats that decide to sell to the highest bidder.

                  Maggie

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    I agree that we are intermixed (Great Britain) but with Scottish law being so different to the law in England/Wales its not really possible.

                    OC pointed out to me that English law prevents images of civil registrations being put on sites.

                    I do know there is a lot of confusion about the difference between Scotlandonline and Scotlandspeople and SP have had emails from people who think that they are going to put the 1911 England/Wales census on their site.


                    A days searching in register house costs £17.00 and I have often thought it would be a good idea to maybe offer similar online through the site for those who live outside Scotland. I know I'd be willing to pay and so would my cousins who live in Australia, Canada and USA.

                    Kate.... Funny you should say that about Irish research because I was just talking to OH about that.
                    With Experience comes Realisation

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      I know its not really the point....however....lol ...I am within distance of Register House in Edinburgh and since the turn of the year I have gotten back into doing research...so am planning on going to Reg House once a month (or more if finances allow)

                      Within reason...I am more than happy to do a look up for anyone if they would like me to....but as I say...within reason....cos obviously I'm going there to research my own family...

                      I would agree with Shaz about what she said about - if SP were to allow subscriptions then it may be that they would change their policy from being able to view online to having to order.... Now although I can totally appreciate that subscriptions would benefit us all whether in scotland or not....I would hate for it to become a site that you cant view the certs.....there is usually always either someone who can do a look up for you by going to Reg House (see above offer)....or frequently there are people who will maybe have a spare credit or two that can look for someone....

                      It has even been known in the past that someone who lives in England and who could easily pay the £6 to go on Scotlands People themselves....has asked for a look up and I've seen myself go on the site and pay £6 of my own to do the look up!! Dont get me wrong, I'm not complaining....but if peeps do have looks ups that they need help with from SP there are peeps around who will be willing to help...

                      Just dinny ask me to do the entire tree!!! pmsl
                      Jilly "keeping the grin gear working" McMad



                      http://JillysMcMadHouse.synthasite.com

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        I don't think there is much need to worry (yet) about Scotland Online buying up Findmypast, nothing should change, it is merely a financial investment for them, much in the same way that GR bought the 1901 census.

                        The Site which originally had the 1901 is still there, it's just the name on the cheque book which has changed - you can still get access to the 1901 on the same, old, conditions and most people don't realise it has changed hands.

                        The question as to whether we should have to pay for seeing written evidence of "our heritage"...well, yes, why not, SOMEONE had to pay to either transcribe or film it and someone has to ensure it is properly stored AND someone has to have the will to search out other stuff and film or transcribe that.

                        Ancestry and SP are both extremely useful tools for me and have helped to construct my tree. But the bulk of my paper evidence is on neither site and until recently I had to either go to the Records Office in question (500 miles each way) or use snail mail to play a guessing game about whether they might have anything useful to my search. That was always expensive and I was entirely at the mercy of the archivist.

                        OC

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          I sort of envisaged a subscription package wherebye you could search and view images and then perhaps when you want to download one pay a nominal fee to download.


                          Maggie

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Maggie, I can't see how there could be a difference between viewing images and downloading them? Once you view an image it is effectively already downloaded to your computer anyway (for instance, if all else fails you could just do a "print screen" and copy the image into paint then save it).
                            KiteRunner

                            Every five years or so I look back on my life and I have a good... laugh"
                            (Indigo Girls, "Watershed")

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Originally posted by KiteRunner View Post
                              Maggie, I can't see how there could be a difference between viewing images and downloading them? Once you view an image it is effectively already downloaded to your computer anyway (for instance, if all else fails you could just do a "print screen" and copy the image into paint then save it).
                              Yes I suppose you're right.

                              I think there could be a way technically to disallow downloading or printing.

                              Maggie

                              Comment


                              • #16
                                Also, quite a few people, me for one, have trouble getting the image viewers on that site to work and have to choose "direct download" to be able to see the images at all, so it wouldn't be very fair on us.
                                KiteRunner

                                Every five years or so I look back on my life and I have a good... laugh"
                                (Indigo Girls, "Watershed")

                                Comment


                                • #17
                                  Originally posted by KiteRunner View Post
                                  Also, quite a few people, me for one, have trouble getting the image viewers on that site to work and have to choose "direct download" to be able to see the images at all, so it wouldn't be very fair on us.
                                  I have that trouble on British Origin in fact I cancelled my membership because it was pointless.

                                  Maggie

                                  Comment


                                  • #18
                                    Worth pointing out that ScotlandsPeople is an official Government site rather than a commercial operation. I'm sure that most will be aware of that but no doubt some are not and may compare it directly with Ancestry etc.

                                    Comment

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