Just post ?

First, I want to share an experience, protecting the name of the guilty, so as not to cause any embarrassment. You know how you check message boards from time to time and respond to those who may be able to shed some light on the "family mysteries", like why Great Uncle Al moved out to Montana from Minnesota of all places?

Well, a few weeks back I tracked down a distant relative with a posting about five years old and an expired e-mail address, located the current snail mail address, and sent the requested information on their direct pedigree family line. This information was all online for free on the IGI site, by the way. I kid you not- the thank you note I got back said, "Thanks- I was beginning to think that no one was going to do the research for me!"

Did this person think that if you just post a genealogical query, that someone will do the work for you, and for free? How many other folks out in cyberspace think the same way? Am I naive about this or do many people do the same thing? Do you have a similar story to tell?