The Autosomal Zone?

[Stevo]

Has anyone noticed a trend in this particular forum?

Maybe its name should be changed to The Autosomal Zone?

Personally, I don't have much faith in autosomal testing.

It's only good for a few generations back, and the results seem contradictory and, frankly, bizarre.

I am sure I will be castigated for saying that, but that's my opinion, anyway.

[KerryODair]

People are just trying to separate fact from ficition in this process. Of the sites I have looked at, it is very difficult to understand the underlying facts about the process. Just trying to find out information from other peoples experience. If you really want to get confused, look at dnafingerprint site. See if you can explain xstr tests based on information on this site.

[burto]

For me I have no choice but to try autosomal to find my unknown paternal grandfathers heritage. I'm just trying to compare my scores to others' to try and make sense of it all.

[Maria_W]

Will still use them.

Hi .
For me the DNA test are a confirmation of what I already suspected or knew from research. Oral, visual, written. Death, birth, marriage, taxes, census, medical, church, ect. Stories that I have verified, some true some not. Yes, from what some people are saying its appears to have some results that are questionable to them. I personally will continue to use them.. Have a nice day! Maria

[Maria_W]

Not perfect....

For those of you who think it is a waste, don't spent your money. Thats why is called freedom of choice. I still beleive autosomal dna is of some value. Do they make mistakes, yes. Are they perfect, no. Do they come back with some strange results, yes. I just recieved my mother and fathers results. My mother (Audrey)received 89% IE, 0 EA, 7% NA, 4% SSAF.(Not sure where the SSAF came from, that was a unexpected score. But I do not have any problem with any of my heritage. I (Maria) recieved 90% IE, 0 EA, 10 NA, 0 SSAF. My father (Eugene) recieved IE 100%, EA 0, NA 0, SSAF 0. My father I must admit perplexes me becasue we have him traced back to the same tribe as my mother. Could the test be wrong and he does have Native American, yes. It does say that theres a possibilty of 0- 6%. Could the paper records be wrong, its possible.

Maria

[tomcat]

Has anyone noticed a trend in this particular forum?
Maybe its name should be changed to The Autosomal Zone?...

The 'trend' is what?

[marvallen]

You did notice the posting is a year old? Even since then, progress on the validity of this type of testing is still miniscule...

[Maria_W]

Why?

Marvallen.
Yes, I see that it is a year old. I am asking a serious question and in no way trying to be rude. Why are you so against this type of test?
Maria

[marvallen]

I have nothing against the autosomal tests. It's the interpetation of the "results" that are in great doubt and will be ,IMO, until sufficiently large and diverse populations are truly incorporated into the statistical data bases and interperative models....

p.s. I have had my autosomal tests done but only by FTDNA, so it would be hard to say that I have something against the tests.....

[MMaddi]

Marvallen.
Yes, I see that it is a year old. I am asking a serious question and in no way trying to be rude. Why are you so against this type of test?
Maria

Maria,

You answered your own question, as to why someone would be "against this type of test," in your posting above, titled, "Not Perfect...". I quote that posting by you:

"I still beleive autosomal dna is of some value. Do they make mistakes, yes. Are they perfect, no. Do they come back with some strange results, yes. My mother (Audrey)received 89% IE, 0 EA, 7% NA, 4% SSAF.(Not sure where the SSAF came from, that was a unexpected score.... My father I must admit perplexes me becasue we have him traced back to the same tribe as my mother. Could the test be wrong and he does have Native American, yes. It does say that theres a possibilty of 0- 6%. Could the paper records be wrong, its possible."

What you wrote above does not give many genetic genealogists much confidence in the analysis they have been given about their autosomal results. I have seen postings on this board by various advocates of autosomal testing who admit that they got two different results or analysis from two different autosomal testing companies. In many cases, the customer is reduced to a guessing game about why Native American should show up, but it doesn't or why Native American shows up at a high level when it shouldn't or some other unexplainable result (as my quotes from your posting show, even in your case). Perhaps, as MarvAllen suggests in his reply to you, as the databases become larger and more representative of actual population genetics, the analysis will become better. But right now in too many cases people are getting results that are not very helpful to their genealogical research.

All Stevo, in his year-old posting, and MarvAllen and I are saying is that autosomal testing is far from something you "can hang your hat on" as far as knowing with some degree of probablility (not even certainty) what your results mean. As you correctly point out, people have freedom of choice to spend their money as they see fit, including for autosomal testing. But also remember that we have freedom of speech and can certainly post here to warn those who are new to genetic genealogy about the present serious limitations of autosomal testing.

Mike Maddi

[tomcat]

Very snarky. And a cabal!

[tomcat]

...But also remember that we have freedom of speech and can certainly post here to warn those who are new to genetic genealogy about the present serious limitations of autosomal testing.

Mike Maddi

Tsk, tsk, tsk. It is all about space above the fold. It is all about having YOUR post on YOUR favorite topic at the top of the page (because no one reads). And while that post may deserve EVERYONE'S attention, unfortunately, there seem to be more committed posters on issues autosomal than there are on issues dear to the hearts of Marvallan, MMaddi and Stevo.

Just ask yourself; what IS IT that these detractors of autosomal testing wish you to do? The only answer is; they do not want you to post. So this is not about freedom of speech it is about YOUR according primacy to the above, because anything you have to say about autosomal testing is worthless, because autosomal testing is worthless.

Simple.

[marvallen]

I don't believe that I ever said that the testing was worthless, and whether it is or isn't wasn't my point. I just disagree with the interpetive aspect as currently applied to genealogy. I have not seen any convincing evidence of progress in the past year in improving this "state of interpative analysis".

[tomcat]

Do you WANT to yank THEIR chain? Just keep on posting to this thread started by Stevo and seconded by Marvallan and MMaddi and all their subtle and informed ventilations on the alphanumeric salad of Y (which belong in the Y thread NO ONE reads) will relentlessly disappear into the netherworld of UNREAD posts.

Its always about power, unless its about money.

[Maria_W]

So sorry.

I am so sorry and I feel so bad! I didn't mean to cause all this. I truely was just trying to find out why people didn't like the test. And yes I guess I did answer my own questions without relizing it. I haven't had much sleep since May and my brain isn't working well. I guess I am so extremely sensitive because my father is dying and was trying to just for a few minutes to give my brain a reprive from the emotional pain. I feel so depressed becasue i upset the members here. Now I wish I had never posted this! Maria