ancestry.com being acquired

[Lklundin]

The questions are what will happen to subscription rates, and our data, and confidentiality issues.

Time to clean up the trees, read the hints and download to a Gedcom file, been meaning to do it any way.

If there was a way I would rate this as an insightful reply.

Subscribers to ancestry.com and similar services do not control their own data.

And when the time comes to import that possibly somewhat dated GEDCOM into another application, then the ex-subscriber may learn that all that data that was carefully entered into the commercial web site is not faithfully stored in the GEDCOM.

The exact opposite approach is to rely on open standards and to use open-source software, such as the genealogy software gramps.

With that the user can be sure that a version can be developed for future versions of the operating system of choice and thus that the users will always remain in control of their own data.

[tomcat]

Ancestry to release raw data:

http://dna-explained.com/2012/10/23/ancestry-to-release-array-data-in-2013/

[tomcat]

If you think that a private equity firm buys a company so that they can better serve the customers and aren't interested in making lots of money, if necessary by raising prices and cutting services, then I think you haven't been reading the business pages of your local newspaper very closely in recent years.

They might also expand services and grow the company for income or resale. I am not a customer but seem to recall some reported caginess about research when AncestryDNA launched. Could be the acquirer thinks they can back the Brinks truck through that opening - expand AncestryDNA to include health and genetic counseling - rent the resulting db to researchers? Or maybe the acquirer thinks Romney will win the presidency and NARA will be privatized?

[djknox]

Right on.

I love Anc.com. It is my #1 hobby.
I spend time and money on Anc.com.
They have a great deal of my personal, historical information, as well as my DNA.

My day job requires considerable involvement with outside PE firms.
The recent Anc.com sale should cause us to ask a few questions.

Maybe would should ask Mit R. about all this?? lol

[djknox]

If there was a way I would rate this as an insightful reply.

Subscribers to ancestry.com and similar services do not control their own data.

And when the time comes to import that possibly somewhat dated GEDCOM into another application, then the ex-subscriber may learn that all that data that was carefully entered into the commercial web site is not faithfully stored in the GEDCOM.

The exact opposite approach is to rely on open standards and to use open-source software, such as the genealogy software gramps.

With that the user can be sure that a version can be developed for future versions of the operating system of choice and thus that the users will always remain in control of their own data.

By FamilyTreeMaker and sychronize... then all your data is perserved offline and in your control... or well, in as much of your control as anything digital today that is totally depend on platform compatibility....

[EdwardRHill]

If you think that a private equity firm buys a company so that they can better serve the customers and aren't interested in making lots of money, if necessary by raising prices and cutting services, then I think you haven't been reading the business pages of your local newspaper very closely in recent years.

No I think they buy a sure thing so they can make money and let others manage the business if they are smart. Like I said Ancestry just hit 2 million subscription so its a strong company who will make money for the investors. Can something come along and mess it up sure just look at NetFlix. But does anyone have prof thats happening with Ancestry yet, no. We will see in six months.

[mkdexter]

I bet long term that FTDNA will be acquired by Ancestry.com... say sometime over the next 3 years.

FTDNA is part of a LLC, Genealogy by Genetics. Ancestry is a C-Corp and publicly traded; ticker symbol ACOM.

FTDNA can't be acquired via stock transfer, etc., it has to be sold and Bennett would have to want to sell it.

[djknox]

Greed and "looking out for No. 1" is one of the basest of human attributes. Everyone sells out given the opportunity. I would just like to see advances being made through the pooling of resources... but certainly healthy marketplace competition is also good for us all...

[gtc]

Greed and "looking out for No. 1" is one of the basest of human attributes.

I don't know who you have in mind when you say that, but I'd certainly not attribute either of those characteristics to the founder-owners of FTDNA. Far from it!

[Ann Turner]

No I think they buy a sure thing so they can make money and let others manage the business if they are smart. Like I said Ancestry just hit 2 million subscription so its a strong company who will make money for the investors. Can something come along and mess it up sure just look at NetFlix. But does anyone have prof thats happening with Ancestry yet, no. We will see in six months.

Looking on the bright side, Ancestry's press release about the acquisition seems to imply that they will be adding more original content from additional geographic areas. That could be A Good Thing. The DNA program is also explicitly mentioned.

"Ancestry.com and Permira indicated that the company will continue executing on its growth strategy and initiatives led by content acquisition and technology investment, with the support of the Permira funds and the investor group. There are no anticipated changes in Ancestry.com's operating structure. Ancestry.com's focus will continue to be on investing in content, technology and its user experience, expanding its product offerings in areas like DNA, and building the Ancestry.com brand and the family history category, all on a global basis. Ancestry.com will remain headquartered in Provo, Utah, with a continued large presence in San Francisco, Dublin, London and other international markets."

http://www.nasdaq.com/aspx/stockmarketnewsstoryprint.aspx?storyid=ancestrycom-to-be-acquired-by-permira-funds-for-3200-per-share-in-cash-20121022-00111

[MMaddi]

Greed and "looking out for No. 1" is one of the basest of human attributes. Everyone sells out given the opportunity. I would just like to see advances being made through the pooling of resources... but certainly healthy marketplace competition is also good for us all...

"Everyone sells out given the opportunity." (my bolding above) Hmm... according to your definition of humanity, Martin Luther King, Jr. and Gandhi were inhuman or, perhaps, unhuman. It certainly doesn't seem that being jailed unjustly or beaten for your principles is "looking out for No. 1." Also, Franklin, Washington and Jefferson were fairly prosperous businessmen or planters. How were they "looking out for No. 1" by fighting for liberty from a mighty Empire and having a price put on their head?

Human progress is usually made by those who aren't "looking out for No. 1," but who stand up for principles that are for the benefit of everyone. That's the end of my sermon for today.

[EdwardRHill]

Looking on the bright side, Ancestry's press release about the acquisition seems to imply that they will be adding more original content from additional geographic areas. That could be A Good Thing. The DNA program is also explicitly mentioned.

"Ancestry.com and Permira indicated that the company will continue executing on its growth strategy and initiatives led by content acquisition and technology investment, with the support of the Permira funds and the investor group. There are no anticipated changes in Ancestry.com's operating structure. Ancestry.com's focus will continue to be on investing in content, technology and its user experience, expanding its product offerings in areas like DNA, and building the Ancestry.com brand and the family history category, all on a global basis. Ancestry.com will remain headquartered in Provo, Utah, with a continued large presence in San Francisco, Dublin, London and other international markets."

http://www.nasdaq.com/aspx/stockmark...20121022-00111

Good thanks for the info one of the interesting things about doing DNA testing is finding matches from around the world. I found a match that seem to be from Turkey at Ancestry yesterday, WOW! Never expected that.

[djknox]

I don't know who you have in mind when you say that, but I'd certainly not attribute either of those characteristics to the founder-owners of FTDNA. Far from it!

It was not an assessment of a man I don't even know. I have know many friends who started their own businesses. Some became quite successful... often due to personal vision and ownership of the business direction. I also know when given a chance, they ultimately can't resist cashing out... finding some logical explanation as to why it was for the best.

The point I was making is that it is exactly the personality of those who can be successful in their own business ventures to cash out... often citing that it was the best. As I type I had a couple over for dinner earlier who run a successful "management assessment and training" business. I asked what their ultimate objective was. The answer was to grow the business until they could take the company public or sell it. The logic being that they put enough effort into it to deserve a cash out and early retirement. It is the nature of the beast.

[gtc]

I asked what their ultimate objective was. The answer was to grow the business until they could take the company public or sell it. The logic being that they put enough effort into it to deserve a cash out and early retirement. It is the nature of the beast.

Exactly, and as I said earlier every businesses is for sale at the right price. However, I don't characterize that as "greed" to use your term, which the dictionary defines as:

▸ noun: excessive desire to acquire or possess more (especially more material wealth) than one needs or deserves

▸ noun: reprehensible acquisitiveness; insatiable desire for wealth (personified as one of the deadly sins)

The founder-owners of FTDNA, both of whom have MBA's, are experienced businessmen. Bennett Greenspan operated a successful industrial photographic supplies business before his wife convinced him to get into genetic genealogy to advance his already keen genealogical interests.

[djknox]

"Everyone sells out given the opportunity." (my bolding above) Hmm... according to your definition of humanity, Martin Luther King, Jr. and Gandhi were inhuman or, perhaps, unhuman. It certainly doesn't seem that being jailed unjustly or beaten for your principles is "looking out for No. 1." Also, Franklin, Washington and Jefferson were fairly prosperous businessmen or planters. How were they "looking out for No. 1" by fighting for liberty from a mighty Empire and having a price put on their head?

Human progress is usually made by those who aren't "looking out for No. 1," but who stand up for principles that are for the benefit of everyone. That's the end of my sermon for today.

Granted there are always a few exceptions... and Gandhi was an inspirational one.... as is Aung Sang Suu Kyi today - but in business there are very very few. Franklin liked status and money to afford his frequent brothel excursions; Washington was likely on a military ego trip (its been proven through digital reconstruction of his skull that his commissioned portraits were heavily adjusted to display more masculine features than he actually had), and Jefferson was looking out for protecting his own business interests... of which we won't get into here. Not to say that they were not all instrumental players... but they all had personal agendas that were served. The mark of a great man isn't that he soley puts the common good ahead of his own interests... but rather he doesn't let his own interests adversly affect the common good.

Personally, I think you are mixing different things here - I never said that humans cannot exhibit integrity, or a calling beyond their personal interests. I did say that when it comes to business, people cash out - it doesn't make them bad people... but I will agree with you that it doesn't make them Gandhi either! If you don't think humans are extremely self serving in their actions, agendas etc... you MUST be living on a different planet than Earth! And if you are an alien, could you not help us out a little with this autosomal dna technology lol! It would be nice to extract some ancestry from it!