General Chat

Hi,

I have only just started searching for my ancestors and I am slowly getting there (very slowly!). I have a question regarding this site...when you get the 'hot matches' come up, I have one person who does not respond to my emails - I know people are busy etc but this has gone on for a few months and I know they have been on as the matches are getting higher.
Its not as if I want anything except to share information if possible and I wouldn't mind if it was 1 or 2 matches a few generations ago but it is quite close.
My question is, is this something that happens within this community or is it a one off - do people generally help each other etc?

thanks....

It does sometimes happen that people do not respond to queries about "Hot Matches", although in most cases they do. Sometimes it can take quite a few months - 8 months is the longest I waited for a reply.

This can be for all sorts of reasons. Sometimes if someone is busy with their own research they may want to get their work sorted out and onto their tree before they start getting more information from someone else. I know from personal experience that if you get too much information all at once you can sometimes feel as if you are drowning in names and dates.

I wouldn't give up hope - they may still reply.

Kath. x

ok.. I will have to gain some patience ;-)

thank you

Hello Robert

From my experience on here there are alot of people willing to help, an awful lot:o)) But there are some who for what ever reasons don't respond to messages, probably as you say because they are busy, maybe they are away. Some will use information from you and not share theirs so you have to canny as to what you devulge so that you know who they are.

Hope that helps and good luck.

jude :o)

i have found people on the whole very helpful have been lucky with some family but some hardly anything

I do always reply to people who e-mail me re hot matches - unless they use one of those automated messages when I ignore them.

So, check what you said in your first message to them. If it sounds a bit short, or does not contain much info - try again, with a few details. If your first message was OK and had details then I can't think of a reason why someone won't respond. I mean, even if you're busy you can always say "I'm really busy on another part of my tree but remind me in a couple of months if I don't come back to you".

Jill

I have had some people help which is really great and spurs you on even more...it can become very addictive though.
Maybe its just like life some people others help some dont, as simple as that...

Hi Robert,
I have been waiting for to very close rellies to replay for over a year now and they still keep coming up in Hot Matches, but that life. I always try to reply and ask questions before opening my tree to anyone as I got my fingers burnt when I first started.
Good luck with your tree.

I have just checked my messages and they did read ok ...phew
I will just have to wait, I suppose I should stop access to my tree as well as I just gave them access when I emailed.I sent 3 emails over 2 months so I was fairly restrained...

Have your messages been opened?

Just had a look...no they haven't..I thought that was me reading the messages but it isnt is it ...its the recipient.

wow ...I never knew that was there ...that might prove very useful

thank you all for the information and tips ..and for replying ;-)