Where can a FAQ-index or index of names / categories be found?

Question

We were searching for the template for Smallpox (1713) ; one would think that there would be some sort of index of general terms / FAQs to find it but I had to go through hundreds of categories to find this one, and even now it is not clear what the template [[Category: Smallpox]] should look like .... There must be an easier way or am I just slow? 

Answer 1

This seems to be an area that could use some improvement. There is an index of categories (actually, there are several) but even so the search is neither intuitive nor easy.

 

It would seem logical to simply click on the "Find" button at the top of any WikiTree page and then on "Categories" on the drop-down menu. However, that brings up a limited list that doesn't allow you to find "Smallpox" (nor many thousands of other existing categories).

 

If you know where to find it (and that's a big "if") there is a master index of categories at http://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Category:Categories. When you access that page and scroll down to "See also:", you'll find a listing for Special Categories - the active category list, which gives you the alternative of searching for listings by first letter. If you then go to the letter S and scroll through several thousand entries you'll finally find the category for Smallpox.

 

You could also just enter http://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Category:Smallpox and hope that the category exists. In this case it does, but you'd need to know in advance about that search sequence and you'd always be taking a chance on finding a category that actually exists.

 

I agree that there should be an easier way to search for a category but I haven't been able to find it.

Comments

Thanks Patrick, you confirmed that I'm not that slow ... 

Answer 2

Philip,

I think the easiest way now to find a category is to use the search function for categories - it is at the bottom of every page - select serch and then again on the next page at the bottom search for a category.  Not the easiest but does seem to work OK.

It will not be useful when there are several hundred categories like US Civil War units but for smallpox it is fine.