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Hi Linda
Thanks for your post.
My previous post is a continuation of a couple that I had made concerning a problem that a couple of people were having when using a DNA report from another company and manually typing the DNA report numbers into Ancestry.com's database. Apparently, there is no 'standard' way of testing or reporting the results of a DNA test. My post was concerning a major testing company, Sorenson Molecular Genealogy Foundation (SMGF) http://www.smgf.org/pages/ydatabase.jspx , which does most of the DNA testing for genealogy groups. Each group seems to use a different method of reporting the results of the test to suit their own needs. SMGF has starting using a different method of reporting, which is a quasi standard. This allows DNA reports from different sources to be added to Ancestry.com's database without change. Ancestry.com is able to use the 'standard' method and apply any corrections automatically. Thus, we can now 'cut and paste' a test result from another company into Ancestry's data without change... the change is done automatically... the problem seems to be that some of the older test results have not been automatically updated... Any test results from the last couple of months should be updated by now...
Now, for your question about my scepticism about DNA test: My understanding of testing DNA is quite limited, but I understand that the testing methods and the public understanding of the DNA test results are a new technology. As with any new technology, testing methods and the understanding of those methods will change quite often. Just as I mentioned above about the new 'standard' test results.
I have worked with digital communications for quite a while and have seen the technology change from Morse code to teletype to spread spectrum to a host of new digital modes. I perceive DNA testing the same. It is a technology in progress. There are few facts and many theories at the moment. I'm sure that many of the theories will become facts very soon. But, until then, we must use this new technology with the understanding that most of it is still in its infancy. Theories are very good tools to work toward a goal, but we must not confuse theories with facts.
Concering DNA testing, most of what we learn is from theories that have not been proven by scientific rules and methods. As Sorensen's website states, it is impossible to determine the exact blood relationshp of two or more people, but it is possible to determine that two or more people are not related.
So, my scepticism is not that DNA test are not reliable, but our interpretation of those results can be misleading. As long as we use the same method of testing and reporting, then our interpretation of those results can be understood (apples to apples...). But when we use different test methods with differing reporting methods, then our understanding of the results will be confused.
With a standard of testing and reporting becomming more available, DNA testing is now a very useful tool, and I hope that more people will be less apprehensive about using it.
The following website has a lot of information about this topic: http://www.smgf.org/pages/ydatabase.jspx
I hope that I have answered your questions. If not, please post here.
bob
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