What is the best way to shed a few pounds (of profiles)?

Question

I find that as I grow older, I cannot concentrate on several things at once, so I would like to shed a few profiles that I manage. The problem lies in me not wanting to let any of them go. I created/adopted them all for a reason. How can I find caring people willing to adopt the profiles that I decide to orphan?

Comments

I've been weeding my watchlist from the oldest profiles.

My philosophy is if I can't lock the profile, I don't need to manage it.

And my opinion is that most open profiles don't really need managers anyway, so why worry.

But as others have commented, flesh out the profiles as much as you can before you orphan them.

edit: If you want to maintain a link to an orphaned profile, I recommend you try using Personal Categories. You may find this method more flexible and easier to use and maintain than free-spaces (personal opinion).

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I am doing exactly what Lindy suggested.  I had way too many Profile of persons only related to me by marriage...cousin in laws...and needed to reduce my Watch List to add more of my actual relatives.  And as  Lindy pointed out, I add as much as I can before I put them in the wild.

Here is one of my recent Orphaned Profiles.   Robert Harrison Garman

Notice how I leave a note with how to contact me in it and they are added to my Person Category for those Profile I have Orphaned. Category: Russell-13872 Orphaned  so I can't still keep an eye on them.

I have gotten way more inquiries from non WikiTree folks who may have Googled the name and came to a Profile.  And this is a good way to introduce these folks to WikiTree and get them interested in joining and adding more because I put how to contact me there.  I think a lot of people visit WikiTree this way, but don't understand how to Message us.

Set them free with no worries David....but still keep a long leash on them. LOL

Answer 1

David, I would start by orphaning the profiles where you have added all that you can and they are not close relatives. Others may share those ancestors and be able to adopt them if not now in the future.

Comments

Thanks Hilary,

That makes the most sense. What I would really like is to not have to decide. Oh well. Time to act like an adult and actually make decisions.

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David, I have far too many I orphaned many but have made a list of them on a free space page so I can work on them. I still have far too many profiles but am slowly working on them.

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Sounds like a good idea but I've never created a free space page before. Now, not only do I have to make decisions, I have to try something new!

Answer 2

David, how large is your Watchlist?  Most of the time, if you monitor your activity feed, the profiles don't really need anything more, although it is nice if you improve them as time permits.  I agree with you; I don't like to let go of profiles when I have an interest in them, but for the most part, they wait patiently for my attention.

Now that I look, though, you may have a huge Watchlist due to a gedcom upload?

Comments

P.S.  I find creating free-space pages to be one of the simplest things on WikiTree.  Here is a help page:

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Help:Free-Space_Profile

Once you have done it, you can find your pages on a separate section of your Watchlist.

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My watchlist is 3600+ and most of the time it isn't overly time consuming looking after them but every once in a while I get overwhelmed and have to step back for a bit. I've never had a gedcom to upload.

Answer 3

I hear you, I have been slowly orphaning profiles in my own watchlist myself, having over 5000 on there.  The program objects to that quantity.  I fill in bio and full sources as I go, so it takes a lot of time.  And of course since I also add new ones, takes forever to reduce.