Hi WikiTreers,
We just released a round of technical changes. Most are little bug fixes and background improvements, but there are a few notable things.
First, we updated the software here in G2G. One functional addition is that if you flag a message you can explain why, e.g. if it's spam, a duplicate, or a rule violation. That explanation will appear for others to see.
Second, you can now enter a WikiTree ID in the Last Name search field. Many members have asked for a way to search by ID. Now, for example, if you enter Adams-12 in the Last Name search field it will take you to the profile for John Quincy Adams.
Third, and most importantly: first name variants in search. A search for Betty or Liz will match with Elizabeth, etc.
The implementation is more limited than our system for surname variants. We had hoped to utilize a database with hundreds of thousands of first name alternates but it slowed down search too much. Instead, we're only using the confirmed given name variants from WeRelate's Name Variants Project.
If you find that a first name isn't matching in the way you think it should, please register at WeRelate and edit their database. We will regularly import their database to update our system. We will also be updating our surname alternates more regularly.
If you notice any problems with the systems described above, or anything else unusual or problematic around WikiTree, please post here. Thanks!
Onward and upward,
Chris