Should we consolidate or change the G2G categories?

Question

G2G Regulars:

How are you using the categories here? How useful are they?

Sometimes I think they're just a hinderance and we shouldn't use categories at all.

I do find some utility in having a WikiTree Help category, so we can separate questions about genealogy from questions about how to use the site.

Maybe consolidate Genealogy in General and Brickwalls into just Genealogy Help?

And how about the Offers of Help section?

An advantage of categories is that they allow you to include extra category-specific instructions. For example, we can (and should do more) to request that users asking for Genealogy Help include what they already know.

Thoughts?

Chris

Comments

Maybe a clean up/removal of 'how do I join' and 'can I have an invitation' would be nice.  There are so many just making clutter.  
If needed - replace with a single question and complete answer with all the details on joining.

Answer 1

This forum is getting too busy for me.

Offers of Help section?

Will suggest Offers of Help Section as a must. Or a page listing similar offers of help.

There I can at least request those with questions to provide an Open Wiktree profile page with all the data they currently have. Its the best way for me to be able to help them.

Those that are offering assistance in record lookups etc. arround the world, also need to be able to be found.

I do find some utility in having a WikiTree Help category, so we can separate questions about genealogy from questions about how to use the site.

These questions I would like to find in a hurry to assist likewise.

We can (and should do more) to request that users asking for Genealogy Help include what they already know.

Yes, please.  Open privacy levels as well.

 

Comments

Suggestion, for profile page Comments Section:

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More to your main point. I usually do not use the Catagories. I go to the recent questions. The number of questions coming in now may require me to use the catagories. Who needs urgent wikitree help vs. all the genealogy questions.

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Thanks for everything you do, Mike.

I consolidated Genealogy in General and Brickwalls into just Genealogy Help.

I clarified the description you get when you view the categories or try to ask a question in the Genealogy Help section. It's pretty clear, I think, but we'll see. If you have more text suggestions let me know.

Answer 2

I like the Brick Walls category separate.  Or change it to ?Surname Help?

I think WikiTree 'Help' might be better defined as WikiTree 'USE' (help) - or some other terminology to clarify that it is a category for help with using Wiki Tree 'FEATURES'  - and not just general help.

Offers of help/sources is an excellent category to have.  Glad to see that here.

I usually just read under 'questions' or under 'unanswered' and scan them all.

Comments

Thanks, Chris.

You were too slow to save Brickwalls. It's already been consolidated into Genealogy Help. :-)

I know what you mean about the confusion around "WikiTree Help". I've tweaked the description over and over, but still people put genealogy questions in there. Maybe call it "WikiTree Tech"? I'm not sure if "WikiTree Use Help" would clarify it enough; some people could still interpret it as "help using WikiTree for genealogy."

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May change it to WikiTree "Features"  or WikiTree "Properties"?

Also, is there anyway to add  COUNTRY and Dates/Century 'fill in the blanks'  under the questions, much like you have included the URL section and WikiTree ID fill-ins.  Maybe that would help remind people to include that as part of their question?

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Chris, I don't know if I like "Features" or "Properties" because that might sound like it excludes G2G tech questions. You don't like "Tech"?

As for adding a new field, that would be a little tricky, and I'm not clear where we'd stop. If we add country, why not city and state? Why not birth and death date? Etc., etc. The ultimate goal would to have all this on the WikiTree profile.

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Perhaps a line or small paragraph at the top of G2G,
Please, include all data...
Would still need the comment on the profile page, since the questions are mostly coming from there.

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I guess I missed something its not there any more. The G2G question post on profile page.

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WikiTree How-to's ?????

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When you are in Ask a Question - each description is included when you click on the type of question.

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The link on a  profile page to the G2G ask a question. It is still there, just on older profiles or something of that nature. Will have a cup of coffee, wake up and be back.

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Michael: I removed the link from living people's profiles, since we were getting some questions about living people and it doesn't seem like a good idea to allow them.

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From all the questions with missing information.  Maybe you could change the two existing boxes.
From: WikiTree ID or URL  to: Surname and/orWikiTree ID
and change the SURNAME box to: Date/Location?  
People will probably still not read it all, but maybe some will.

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I would have saved brickwalls from general genealogy, always forget to check this place... working on checking the g2g these days...

Oh well, cant win them all...

I would say the category description might be good at the top of the sub page-- when you click on the category, instead of just highlighting over them... I just now realized that was there, HA!