Guild WARP (GUWARP)

Guild-WARP is the UK's first low-cost WARP in the voluntary sector and the first step towards the goal of expanding the WARP concept from the CNI out to the wider public. Guild-WARP is run by the Guild of One-Name Studies, a charitable genealogical society dedicated to the promotion of One-Name Studies. A one-name study is a genealogical project researching all occurrences of a surname, as opposed to a particular pedigree (ancestors of one person) or descendancy (descendants of one person or couple). See www.one-name.org

The WARP concept is valuable to genealogists and family historians because such researchers nowadays are intensive users of electronic data and Internet services, yet their age profile and IT experience often means they are not expert in computer and information security matters, so a WARP provides reassuring and trusted support in an environment that discourages the sharing of inappropriate advice (such as passing on hoaxes and urban myths). The WARP is based on a use of a simple free distribution list, with a web page providing a message archive and access to advice files and useful links. The WARP adminstrator distributes warnings filtered from UNIRAS and the major anti-virus vendors' own warnings and responds to individuals who report problems or seek advice. Guild-WARP, though on a small scale, follows the same Code of Practice as larger WARPs and looks forward to collaborating with other WARPs in the voluntary sector.

Back to top