Why do you love Wikitree?

+11 votes
136 views
When I searched to see if this had been posted, I came across posts from people who'd had problems with Wikitree.  It's true that I've run into a few problems, but recently I started posting to trees on Ancestry and Family Search, and those experiences have sent me running to Wikitree to "cleanse my palate" so to speak.  Ancestry encourages bad research by letting you use other trees as sources, which newbies then copy verbatim to their trees. Real sources?  What are those?  The Family search tree is not only far more awkward to use, with a much steeper learning curve, but although one goal is to have a collaborative tree, the "collaboration" can be as useless as someone asking a question 3 years ago about a potential relative who has no sources attached, not even a "personal knowledge" so how do they know that this person is actually part of this tree?  In this case, I know the poster via email, and I may email her about it directly, but I also know that there's a good chance that she may not respond.  If she'd provided a source, I could at least try to check that source.  So even though I know Wikitree is imperfect (hey, if you're detaching my guy from his parents could you tell me why?) (hey, if you got that photo from Find-a-grave, it really *isn't* okay to post it to a Wikitree memorial unless you took the photo yourself), but compared to the inaccurate redundancies in Ancestry and the invisible editors in Family Search trees, it's a pretty wonderful place to be. So why do you love Wikitree?
in The Tree House by J. Crook G2G6 Pilot (226k points)
I just saw this now. Thank you, Jude!

2 Answers

+7 votes
I like Wikitree for many of the same reasons you do.  I was using Ancestry.com and any other web site I could find.  Then I accidentally found WikiTree in August 2015 while surfing the web.  I love that it has so many people willing to help you out and that you can actually find living cousins posting to the same surname you are.  I have enjoyed adding to my family profiles in all family lines in both my family and my husband's family.  I finally have caught on how to use familysearch.com  to find good sources   I also like the Tags and the various groups you can be a part of.  I like WikiTree because I am addicted to it!  Why go anywhere else??
by Diane Bezeau G2G6 Mach 1 (19.9k points)
+4 votes
For me it's one big tree.

I like to think all my hard work, costs e.g. spent over £1000 on birth, marriage and death certificates, nice that others don't have to double up and purchase the same records.

I came across WikiTree quite by chance, doing some research and hey presto the name appeared as a profile here.

Yes had a few hiccups when I started here, had the occasional unhelpful reply to a question I put up but on the whole, most people are friendly, appreciative and helpful.

With regards to Find A Grave, my own profile there, I've clearly stated that my photographs can be used for WikiTree, personal use but not used for any commercial website. I've taken over 9000 photographs, again it it helps others find their relatives it surely can only help.

When it comes to Ancestry, I do my own research before using the hints or other family trees as unfortunately, some family trees are inaccurate.

So here I am some months later - still enjoying myself and stilll adding to the 'big family'

:)
by Living Bowling G2G6 Mach 6 (63.2k points)

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