David v Goliath

I have been involved in Family history for aboutalmost illegible documents. These people are really
twenty years now, and have been on the familyproud of the work they have produced and they
history circuit attending various fairs around themake it available at a reasonable cost which belies
country for about twelve years.all the effort it has taken.
In my time on the circuit, I have met lots of stallThe 'big boys' or major players have loads of
holders, some are 'fly by nights' who think youmoney to spend on advertising. I am sure you
can shove anything onto a CD, flog it, make a pilehave seen the full page adverts in the magazines.
of cash and then disappear, (they never last long,The major players (or wannabe major players)
thankfully) some are genuine folk who really wantare prepared to pay a fortune to keep
to help people trace their ancestry, and then wethemselves top in the pay per click bids, and buy
have the 'big boys' or those that intend to be oneup any and all domain names that have anything,
of the big boys.'even vaguely to do with genealogy.
The 'fly by nights' have been known to pirateNo, this is not 'sour grapes' from one of the little
information, (census records, parish transcriptions,guys. Please don't misunderstand me. I am not
etc.,) or download free information from theagainst anyone making a living. What I loathe is
Internet, copy it to a CD, put a pretty picture onthe major players doing their best to force the
the front and sell it at a family history fair or ongenuine, little guy out of business. Of course, if
Ebay. A quick buck is all they are interested in.they succeed in getting rid of the little guy, then
The genuine folk strive hard to make sure thethe major players will get a larger slice of the
products they sell, whether it be parishcake. The problem is in the end, as always, it is
transcriptions or census, etc. are of first ratethe customer who suffers. Limited records, not
quality. They spend hours, days and sometimesalways good, and only available at the price they
months, transcribing hard to read and all too oftenwant to charge.