I'm not naming the site, the product or the company that sent me an email recently. I've included an altered version of it below.
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The new BLAHBLAH is launching an online giveaway:BLOGABOUTUSANDWIN . One lucky winner will receive a FREETHING from OVERPRICED STUFF, valued at $ANOVERINFLATEDPRICE!
To enter, simply blog or tweet about BLAHBLAH before the RELEASE DATE, link to the official BLAHBLAH site and/or fanpage, and send your permalink to helpussellourstuff@notanemail.com.
Write a second blog or tweet between THISDATE and THATDATE and double your chances of winning.
For full contest details go here: WEBSITE DELETED.
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I'm not opposed to marketing. I'm not opposed to making money. I've been known to promote my own newsletter as well. Advertisements (clearly indicated as such) do not present any problem to me. Mentioning something in the text or an article or writing about something solely to "get something out of it" just doesn't sit well with me. I never cared for Paul Harvey for much the same reason. "Write about us and we'll enter you in a contest" just doesn't sit well with me.
If it doesn't bother you, that's fine. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion.
Products, books and other materials are occasionally mentioned here on Rootdig.com. If they get mentioned, it's because I actually use them. Once in a while a researcher or research service gets mentioned--if so, for the same reason. Readers likely will never see books or research materials from Eastern Europe on my site--because I don't have family there. That's it and nothing more.
Years ago a good friend in "genealogyland" asked me to give an hourlong lecture on a genealogy software program that she was thinking about using. I had not used the software yet, but out of great respect for my friend, I agreed to do the presentation and said I would have time to learn it so I could present about it. I learned about the software, created the presentation, and gave the presentation, explaining its use. After using it, I decided I would never buy the software and never recommend its use to anyone (and NO, I'm NOT saying what the name of the software was). I also decided I would never present again on anything that I wasn't already familiar with. I also decided I would never present on something I would not pay for myself.
I never blog about something because someone's offered me something or entered my name in a contest if I mention it. Consequently, if I am not a fan of something or don't use it (because it's not in my areas of research), you won't find it mentioned here. As a result, there may be great things in genealogyland that I simply don't mention because it's not in my area of research.
I've always tried to make my blog/website about actual research and things I actually do or use.
End of soapbox and back to work.
