Comments on: Geni: 5 million Profiles In 5 Months http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/07/02/geni-5-million-profiles-in-5-months/ Startup and Technology News Fri, 27 Nov 2009 18:24:54 -0800 hourly 1 By: Geni.com - Some good reasons to check it out. | Brendan Nee http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/07/02/geni-5-million-profiles-in-5-months/comment-page-2/#comment-2596803 Geni.com - Some good reasons to check it out. | Brendan Nee Sat, 17 Jan 2009 12:16:10 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/07/02/geni-5-million-profiles-in-5-months/#comment-2596803 [...] than three weeks ago I read about geni.com on techcrunch. It sounded interesting so I added my parents and a few relatives to geni.com, typed in 3 or 4 [...] [...] than three weeks ago I read about geni.com on techcrunch. It sounded interesting so I added my parents and a few relatives to geni.com, typed in 3 or 4 [...]

]]> By: Geni Clone Growing A Lot Faster Than Geni http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/07/02/geni-5-million-profiles-in-5-months/comment-page-2/#comment-2133863 Geni Clone Growing A Lot Faster Than Geni Sat, 05 Apr 2008 21:27:26 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/07/02/geni-5-million-profiles-in-5-months/#comment-2133863 [...] genealogy and social newtork Geni got to five million profiles in the first five months after launch. Their early growth propelled them to a $100 million [...] [...] genealogy and social newtork Geni got to five million profiles in the first five months after launch. Their early growth propelled them to a $100 million [...]

]]> By: Cnbloggercon Guide reviewing coverage of China social applications panel - part 4 http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/07/02/geni-5-million-profiles-in-5-months/comment-page-2/#comment-1920617 Cnbloggercon Guide reviewing coverage of China social applications panel - part 4 Tue, 15 Jan 2008 06:11:22 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/07/02/geni-5-million-profiles-in-5-months/#comment-1920617 [...] Web 2.0 Review blog, the panelists were from: Wealink (About in EN), Linkist (at CWRblog), Geni (at TechCrunch, at CWRblog), Haokanbu (Ignite2007 CEO presentation), and [...] [...] Web 2.0 Review blog, the panelists were from: Wealink (About in EN), Linkist (at CWRblog), Geni (at TechCrunch, at CWRblog), Haokanbu (Ignite2007 CEO presentation), and [...]

]]> By: MyHeritage Expands Its Family Tree http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/07/02/geni-5-million-profiles-in-5-months/comment-page-2/#comment-1568043 MyHeritage Expands Its Family Tree Wed, 22 Aug 2007 20:30:39 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/07/02/geni-5-million-profiles-in-5-months/#comment-1568043 [...] of the team and products put the company in a better position to deal with upstart Geni, which announced over 5 million profiles in 5 months in July. They’ve also been getting a great deal of the [...] [...] of the team and products put the company in a better position to deal with upstart Geni, which announced over 5 million profiles in 5 months in July. They’ve also been getting a great deal of the [...]

]]> By: Tacotoes http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/07/02/geni-5-million-profiles-in-5-months/comment-page-2/#comment-1514332 Tacotoes Tue, 24 Jul 2007 02:39:02 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/07/02/geni-5-million-profiles-in-5-months/#comment-1514332 Damn Geni! I can't believe that they continue these friggin privacy violations! David Sacks is an idiot for leading this company like this. It's a waste of the 10 million dollars. or maybe not. Maybe the money came from privacy violating companies who have now massed this database with millions of personal pieces of information. Oh it's all over now. DAMN YOU GENI! Damn Geni! I can’t believe that they continue these friggin privacy violations! David Sacks is an idiot for leading this company like this. It’s a waste of the 10 million dollars. or maybe not. Maybe the money came from privacy violating companies who have now massed this database with millions of personal pieces of information. Oh it’s all over now. DAMN YOU GENI!

]]> By: Brendan Nee http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/07/02/geni-5-million-profiles-in-5-months/comment-page-1/#comment-1514279 Brendan Nee Tue, 24 Jul 2007 02:07:56 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/07/02/geni-5-million-profiles-in-5-months/#comment-1514279 <strong>Geni.com - Some good reasons to check it out...</strong> Less than three weeks ago I read about geni.com on techcrunch. It sounded interesting so I added my parents and a few relatives to geni.com, typed in 3 or 4 email addresses and now I have 339 relatives connected to me going back 6 generations to 1762.... Geni.com – Some good reasons to check it out…

Less than three weeks ago I read about geni.com on techcrunch. It sounded interesting so I added my parents and a few relatives to geni.com, typed in 3 or 4 email addresses and now I have 339 relatives connected to me going back 6 generations to 1762….

]]> By: nicko11 http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/07/02/geni-5-million-profiles-in-5-months/comment-page-1/#comment-1513222 nicko11 Mon, 23 Jul 2007 12:39:26 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/07/02/geni-5-million-profiles-in-5-months/#comment-1513222 Geni privacy statement says "We will not spam you or your relatives. Detailed account settings allow you to control which emails you receive from us." however Geni will spam your familymembers email accounts using your name until your relatives validates their email accounts and sign up to change the "notification" setting and make the spamming stop. That's how they got 5 million users in 5 month!! 4.9 gave in to nuisance spam!! Geni privacy statement says “We will not spam you or your relatives. Detailed account settings allow you to control which emails you receive from us.”

however Geni will spam your familymembers email accounts using your name until your relatives validates their email accounts and sign up to change the “notification” setting and make the spamming stop. That’s how they got 5 million users in 5 month!! 4.9 gave in to nuisance spam!!

]]> By: medly http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/07/02/geni-5-million-profiles-in-5-months/comment-page-1/#comment-1512710 medly Mon, 23 Jul 2007 03:34:08 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/07/02/geni-5-million-profiles-in-5-months/#comment-1512710 P.S. I'm surprised nobody has mentioned the largest genealogy site in the world Rootsweb.com Ok it's now owned by ancestry.com et al. but it's much larger and 100% free. no log-in or subscriptions needed. Besides it has every possible surname/occupation/location mailing list you could imagine and massive user supplied databases that you can actually search and download. All run entirely by the members themselves. Rootsweb has 480 million names. and 29 million searchable archived e-mails All free and all searchable and member posted - no strings attached . So why all the hype about this "new improved and original" future pay-site which members must ultimately pay for in ways they may not like? P.S. I’m surprised nobody has mentioned the largest genealogy site in the world

Rootsweb.com

Ok it’s now owned by ancestry.com et al. but it’s much larger and 100% free. no log-in or subscriptions needed. Besides it has every possible surname/occupation/location mailing list you could imagine and massive user supplied databases that you can actually search and download. All run entirely by the members themselves.

Rootsweb has 480 million names. and 29 million searchable archived e-mails All free and all searchable and member posted – no strings attached .

So why all the hype about this “new improved and original” future pay-site which members must ultimately pay for in ways they may not like?

]]> By: medly http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/07/02/geni-5-million-profiles-in-5-months/comment-page-1/#comment-1512677 medly Mon, 23 Jul 2007 03:08:31 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/07/02/geni-5-million-profiles-in-5-months/#comment-1512677 It's all smoke and mirrors. A giant Chain Letter - Phishing scam. What good is a website that only asks for the names, ages and e-mail adresses of your family and friends? What good is that to you. Don't you know your family/friend's e-mails adresseses already? Do your really care about having the e-mail address of a 5th cousin your never met and never will? Who benefits from knowing that?? They do, not you. Genealogy is not about that. If you want to meet friends join an online chat group. at least there you can be anonymous. As for being a genealogy program. It's useless. Just a come-on for dopes who can't figure out real genealogy software. It’s all smoke and mirrors. A giant Chain Letter – Phishing scam.

What good is a website that only asks for the names, ages and e-mail adresses of your family and friends?

What good is that to you. Don’t you know your family/friend’s e-mails adresseses already? Do your really care about having the e-mail address of a 5th cousin your never met and never will?

Who benefits from knowing that?? They do, not you.

Genealogy is not about that. If you want to meet friends join an online chat group. at least there you can be anonymous.

As for being a genealogy program. It’s useless. Just a come-on for dopes who can’t figure out real genealogy software.

]]> By: Струва си! http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/07/02/geni-5-million-profiles-in-5-months/comment-page-1/#comment-1490907 Струва си! Mon, 09 Jul 2007 15:35:26 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/07/02/geni-5-million-profiles-in-5-months/#comment-1490907 <strong>Geni: социалната генеалогия...</strong> Ужасно много се кефя на новата вълна от стартиращи доткоми, по-известни като web 2.0. Съвсем наскоро научих за Geni - свеж поглед към вечния проб... Geni: социалната генеалогия…

Ужасно много се кефя на новата вълна от стартиращи доткоми, по-известни като web 2.0. Съвсем наскоро научих за Geni – свеж поглед към вечния проб…

]]> By: GeniCommenter http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/07/02/geni-5-million-profiles-in-5-months/comment-page-1/#comment-1485134 GeniCommenter Thu, 05 Jul 2007 23:12:41 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/07/02/geni-5-million-profiles-in-5-months/#comment-1485134 UGH...how the hell do these guys keep getting so much positive press? This is just like PayPal when it started-they suck. The difference is that these supposed "industry veterans" are acting like they have never had these issues before. "What? Privacy concerns over the newly launched feature that we didn't tell you about and specifically promised in our privacy documents we would NEVER EVER do?!? Oh., don't worry about those. They make your experience better!" DON'T SCREW WITH US Geni! We're not susceptible to the Jedi Mind Tricks you're trying to pull off. UGH…how the hell do these guys keep getting so much positive press? This is just like PayPal when it started-they suck.

The difference is that these supposed “industry veterans” are acting like they have never had these issues before. “What? Privacy concerns over the newly launched feature that we didn’t tell you about and specifically promised in our privacy documents we would NEVER EVER do?!? Oh., don’t worry about those. They make your experience better!”

DON’T SCREW WITH US Geni! We’re not susceptible to the Jedi Mind Tricks you’re trying to pull off.

]]> By: Jean-Paul http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/07/02/geni-5-million-profiles-in-5-months/comment-page-1/#comment-1483222 Jean-Paul Wed, 04 Jul 2007 14:19:44 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/07/02/geni-5-million-profiles-in-5-months/#comment-1483222 Compliments for Geni from www.zooof.com ! You can export your Geni file into ZOOOF :-)! We launched one month before Geni, but pity enough we are not in the inner circle of MA. So Micheal, you can make it up with ZOOOF and publish about our coming start-up www.vicuso.com :-)! You know where to find us! Compliments for Geni from http://www.zooof.com ! You can export your Geni file into ZOOOF :-) ! We launched one month before Geni, but pity enough we are not in the inner circle of MA. So Micheal, you can make it up with ZOOOF and publish about our coming start-up http://www.vicuso.com :-) ! You know where to find us!

]]> By: Web 2.0 genealogy site Geni.com hits 5M profiles at Incessant Expressions http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/07/02/geni-5-million-profiles-in-5-months/comment-page-1/#comment-1482562 Web 2.0 genealogy site Geni.com hits 5M profiles at Incessant Expressions Wed, 04 Jul 2007 03:57:29 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/07/02/geni-5-million-profiles-in-5-months/#comment-1482562 [...] the time since I first heard of the site, they’ve blossomed to over 5 million profiles. As the article will detail, it’s not a profile in the typical sense of the word. There [...] [...] the time since I first heard of the site, they’ve blossomed to over 5 million profiles. As the article will detail, it’s not a profile in the typical sense of the word. There [...]

]]> By: Concrete Stain http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/07/02/geni-5-million-profiles-in-5-months/comment-page-1/#comment-1482106 Concrete Stain Tue, 03 Jul 2007 20:51:48 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/07/02/geni-5-million-profiles-in-5-months/#comment-1482106 The got 5mil because of their loose standards of sign up - - they have to develop a way of finding fakes / then prove its not just a marketing engine .. The got 5mil because of their loose standards of sign up –

– they have to develop a way of finding fakes / then prove its not just a marketing engine ..

]]> By: Mike http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/07/02/geni-5-million-profiles-in-5-months/comment-page-1/#comment-1482074 Mike Tue, 03 Jul 2007 20:22:24 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/07/02/geni-5-million-profiles-in-5-months/#comment-1482074 Geni has a nice interface, are lobbed into a competitive market, but the majority of the people who go to it have no reason to return. All they'll do is add more "MyFamily.com" features to it and try to take a stab at them. MyFamily really missed the boat a few years ago, as I believe Paul Allen (not THE Paul Allen) even commented here on one of Arrington's other nine thousand posts ooh-ing and aww-ing like we do over fireworks on Geni. @ Patricia, I can understand that the bloggers want to help their friends. I get it. I know many reporters slant stories just as much, but no one holds bloggers to a credibility standard whereas with other news sources at least it goes thru 1 filter (editor) who's paid on the basis of presenting factual info. Everyone is totally afraid to criticize Michael lest he blackball them in the VC community. I fear the true power of TC is a spike then not much as the fickle "need to have the latest gadget/technology/cool thing" moves on, but that initial power is STRONG and MA needs to be a bit humble to it and not abuse it by posting over and over about his little pets. Everyone is so scared of Michael Arrington. All the start-ups are in fear, the VCs want to be cool and hip so they read it, they see him, all the organizations quote him and want him to be on their panels. I know blogs are opinion based. I know bloggers are biased. I however side with those that think that when an(y) Arrington gets to his level of ability to influence (and I don't mean just the usual techCrunch crash that comes after he posts a glowing review about any company, I'm talking about the personal connections he has and how far his influence wields in inner circles) that he has an obligation to hold himself to a slightly higher standard than joe blow blogger. That's all I'm really trying to say. Geni has a nice interface, are lobbed into a competitive market, but the majority of the people who go to it have no reason to return. All they’ll do is add more “MyFamily.com” features to it and try to take a stab at them.

MyFamily really missed the boat a few years ago, as I believe Paul Allen (not THE Paul Allen) even commented here on one of Arrington’s other nine thousand posts ooh-ing and aww-ing like we do over fireworks on Geni.

@ Patricia, I can understand that the bloggers want to help their friends. I get it. I know many reporters slant stories just as much, but no one holds bloggers to a credibility standard whereas with other news sources at least it goes thru 1 filter (editor) who’s paid on the basis of presenting factual info. Everyone is totally afraid to criticize Michael lest he blackball them in the VC community. I fear the true power of TC is a spike then not much as the fickle “need to have the latest gadget/technology/cool thing” moves on, but that initial power is STRONG and MA needs to be a bit humble to it and not abuse it by posting over and over about his little pets. Everyone is so scared of Michael Arrington. All the start-ups are in fear, the VCs want to be cool and hip so they read it, they see him, all the organizations quote him and want him to be on their panels.

I know blogs are opinion based. I know bloggers are biased. I however side with those that think that when an(y) Arrington gets to his level of ability to influence (and I don’t mean just the usual techCrunch crash that comes after he posts a glowing review about any company, I’m talking about the personal connections he has and how far his influence wields in inner circles) that he has an obligation to hold himself to a slightly higher standard than joe blow blogger.

That’s all I’m really trying to say.

]]> By: Hans http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/07/02/geni-5-million-profiles-in-5-months/comment-page-1/#comment-1481987 Hans Tue, 03 Jul 2007 19:18:53 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/07/02/geni-5-million-profiles-in-5-months/#comment-1481987 I find it useless for many of the same reasons listed above. Why bother contributing to some other closed network that doesn't help with discovery of information. I find it useless for many of the same reasons listed above. Why bother contributing to some other closed network that doesn’t help with discovery of information.

]]> By: tara h http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/07/02/geni-5-million-profiles-in-5-months/comment-page-1/#comment-1481827 tara h Tue, 03 Jul 2007 17:13:49 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/07/02/geni-5-million-profiles-in-5-months/#comment-1481827 Geni.com is just a blatant attempt by a utah wanna-be enterpreneur to try and cash in. He thinks that if he creates enough viral buzz around it that Ancestry.com will acquire them. NOBODY will acquire this smoke and mirrors site. You cannot force fake PR out into the internet and hope to sucker some big dot com into acquiring you. That would have worked in the late 90's but this is not web 1.0. To the fools who put ANY VC cash into this bubble of a website- your partners should run you out of town! Geni.com is a bubble who's burst has come--- POP!!! Geni.com is just a blatant attempt by a utah wanna-be enterpreneur to try and cash in. He thinks that if he creates enough viral buzz around it that Ancestry.com will acquire them. NOBODY will acquire this smoke and mirrors site. You cannot force fake PR out into the internet and hope to sucker some big dot com into acquiring you. That would have worked in the late 90’s but this is not web 1.0.
To the fools who put ANY VC cash into this bubble of a website- your partners should run you out of town! Geni.com is a bubble who’s burst has come— POP!!!

]]> By: KH http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/07/02/geni-5-million-profiles-in-5-months/comment-page-1/#comment-1481717 KH Tue, 03 Jul 2007 15:50:45 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/07/02/geni-5-million-profiles-in-5-months/#comment-1481717 Ancestry dwarfs the viral of Geni by adding many times more profiles per week than they do. Odd that they get such press. Ancestry dwarfs the viral of Geni by adding many times more profiles per week than they do. Odd that they get such press.

]]> By: beyondwww http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/07/02/geni-5-million-profiles-in-5-months/comment-page-1/#comment-1481577 beyondwww Tue, 03 Jul 2007 14:05:42 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/07/02/geni-5-million-profiles-in-5-months/#comment-1481577 "HA ha, no email verification either, I just signed up as George W. Bush" Common suggest me some name, let me save my seat on the site too ;) <a href="”http://" rel="nofollow">BeyondWWW</a> “HA ha, no email verification either, I just signed up as George W. Bush”

Common suggest me some name, let me save my seat on the site too ;)

BeyondWWW

]]> By: Kenny http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/07/02/geni-5-million-profiles-in-5-months/comment-page-1/#comment-1481558 Kenny Tue, 03 Jul 2007 13:44:06 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/07/02/geni-5-million-profiles-in-5-months/#comment-1481558 According to Ancestry.com's homepage, they have 5,556,986 new user-created family tree nodes added THIS WEEK. What's up NOW geni.com?! I agree with others that the excessive geni.com interest is unusual. According to Ancestry.com’s homepage, they have 5,556,986 new user-created family tree nodes added THIS WEEK.

What’s up NOW geni.com?!

I agree with others that the excessive geni.com interest is unusual.

]]> By: Ian Green http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/07/02/geni-5-million-profiles-in-5-months/comment-page-1/#comment-1481429 Ian Green Tue, 03 Jul 2007 11:47:12 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/07/02/geni-5-million-profiles-in-5-months/#comment-1481429 This (geni.com) is a joke, right? Genes Reunited has 120 million names in 7 million trees. (Obviously there is a lot of duplication, but at least it is really for genealogy research.) (And it is the only one I am prepared to pay their affordable annual member for.) ... But anyway, U.S. genealogy websites are pretty much useless for me, although the Mormon database (www.familysearch.org) is what got me started, and yes, I have relatives in USA and Canada, but only at the distant cousins level. Likewise for UK, but at least prior to the mid-19th century, that's where my ancestors are from. Check out http://www.genesreunited.com/ it is _well_ worth it. This (geni.com) is a joke, right? Genes Reunited has 120 million names in 7 million trees. (Obviously there is a lot of duplication, but at least it is really for genealogy research.) (And it is the only one I am prepared to pay their affordable annual member for.)
… But anyway, U.S. genealogy websites are pretty much useless for me, although the Mormon database (www.familysearch.org) is what got me started, and yes, I have relatives in USA and Canada, but only at the distant cousins level. Likewise for UK, but at least prior to the mid-19th century, that’s where my ancestors are from.
Check out http://www.genesreunited.com/ it is _well_ worth it.

]]> By: Rodrigo A. SEPULVEDA SCHULZ http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/07/02/geni-5-million-profiles-in-5-months/comment-page-1/#comment-1481196 Rodrigo A. SEPULVEDA SCHULZ Tue, 03 Jul 2007 08:20:43 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/07/02/geni-5-million-profiles-in-5-months/#comment-1481196 Unfortunately, Geni doesn't work for me, the serious genealogist... See my post here: http://rodrigo.typepad.com/sepulvedaorg/2007/06/looking_for_an_.html Unfortunately, Geni doesn’t work for me, the serious genealogist… See my post here: http://rodrigo....ng_for_an_.html

]]> By: Grzegorz Daniluk http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/07/02/geni-5-million-profiles-in-5-months/comment-page-1/#comment-1481191 Grzegorz Daniluk Tue, 03 Jul 2007 08:18:42 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/07/02/geni-5-million-profiles-in-5-months/#comment-1481191 I have an idea how Geni could speed up its viral growth. For every new profile, which has no parents, automatically add profiles for parents. Default last name for parents is easy to guess. And it is easy to prove that every man or woman has parents. For even bigger viral growth, profiles for grandparents could be also automatically created. With this technique they can in two months exceed MySpace in terms of open profiles. What do you think? I have an idea how Geni could speed up its viral growth. For every new profile, which has no parents, automatically add profiles for parents. Default last name for parents is easy to guess. And it is easy to prove that every man or woman has parents. For even bigger viral growth, profiles for grandparents could be also automatically created. With this technique they can in two months exceed MySpace in terms of open profiles. What do you think?

]]> By: Johan http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/07/02/geni-5-million-profiles-in-5-months/comment-page-1/#comment-1481130 Johan Tue, 03 Jul 2007 07:14:58 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/07/02/geni-5-million-profiles-in-5-months/#comment-1481130 It's sad to see how the Geni team thinks the whole world speaks English. By not offering their service in other languages they are missing out on a huge potential market! It’s sad to see how the Geni team thinks the whole world speaks English. By not offering their service in other languages they are missing out on a huge potential market!

]]> By: The Prize Blog http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/07/02/geni-5-million-profiles-in-5-months/comment-page-1/#comment-1481105 The Prize Blog Tue, 03 Jul 2007 07:05:07 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/07/02/geni-5-million-profiles-in-5-months/#comment-1481105 That's what i call a juggernaut. That’s what i call a juggernaut.

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