To Match or Not to Match ... That is the Question

Question

Connolly-24 and Connolly-25 have same first and last name and no other information visible.  They came from same gedcom back in 2010.  Profile manager did some work on the gedcom right away, then disappeared for a year and a half when he came back to make 6 changes in early 2012 and has not been back since.

I figure it's useless to match these, nor do I have enough info to support even thinking they are the same person.  I am asking here because I'm trying to learn the ins and outs of matching/merging and hope for insight behind whatever the answer is.

THANX everyone.

Answer 1

I would propose the merge. Noting your reasons why you believe they are duplicates.

Comments

But because they are not OPEN profiles and are both managed by the same PM there is not much else you could do at this time

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Michelle,

You jut got to the root of my problem - I don't even know what I believe.  How can I know if I believe they are duplicates when I'm just seeing 2 completely blank profiles other than the same first and last names.  I really don't know why either one is here to begin with!  Maybe they both should get merged with some totally blank Unknown profile just to clean up a little.

I am trying to learn the "what" and "why" (I think I already know the "how" part of this one) of the way it all is supposed to work.

THANX!!!

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Gaile,

You won't really know. if they are duplicates or not. Due to privacy settings you won't see much info

Reasoning

1. Names are the same

2. same profile managers

3. Both profiles came from the same gedcom

3. The manager will decide if they are duplicates.

4. If after 30 days the manager doesn't approve the merge 30 day default approval will result.

5. A sys/op will have to decide whether to reject or merge them if needed.

So, it doesn't hurt to propose the merge. In this case only the manager or a sys/op will be able to complete merge.

 

 

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THANX, Michelle - you just nailed it for me with your #5.  I thought that after 30 days of no action by both managers (in the case the same person) the merge just goes through.  Knowing that someone who knows what they're doing will be making final decision takes the burden off me of whether I'm doing the right thing!!

Answer 2

I looked for them but they seem to have desapear :)

Comments

I just clicked on the link to one of them that is in the original question and got to it.  Strange!!!

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I jusst clicked and now I saw both of them.... exactly the same link as before.. I cannot figure out  what happened.

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Probably a hiccup in either the WikiTree server, another server in the circuitous path between your ISP and the WikiTree server, or the path between your ISP and your computer ... there is no shortage of potential culprits!

Anytime a web page fails to load properly I always wait a few seconds and refresh the page - that's usually enough to clear it up on most of these occasions.

Answer 3

This looks very much like an abandoned gedcom to me after looking at the PM's contributions.  

There's only so much you can do to clean up profiles like these.  If it were me, I'd just leave them alone.

Comments

Kyle,

That's exactly what it looked like to me, also.  I'm trying to learn all the things that impact merge decisions so I asked about it here.

Based on Michelle's advice, I put in the proposed merge.

THANX

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Looks like Lianne completed the merge. I wonder if this person's profiles should be orphaned since he hasn't been online for over two years.