Why is wikitree so hard to follow?

Question

I have been a member since 2014 but I have a hard time putting in names of my family and then when I put them in, you put them in the wrong place. It needs to be simple, plain, and explainable. Sometimes I would like to add an obit but can't. I have the information I need to add my family but I get discourage cause It takes too much time to add anyone. I am not sure if this is the right place to do this but I need your help and please it just needs to be more simple.

Comments

Nancy, could you be a little more specific about the types of problems you're having, and perhaps give an example or two?  What exactly do you mean by putting family members in the wrong place?  And how have you tried to add an obit -- are you trying to upload a document, or a scan of a newspaper article, or are you typing in the data?  It can be discouraging at times, but it does become easier after you get the problems figured out.

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Hello Nancy

I joined in January this year, at first I thought agghhhh - but after I kept adding profiles, played round with what I wanted to add as the content for profiles, I finally thought 'whew'.

Since I call my first profiles as 'attempts' I've grasped some of the principles/basics of the website, over time it has become easier and easier - I suppose in my case I've now since added several thousand profiles in four months - though each of them I always consider 'a work in progress'.

So that we may help you more, what parts are you having difficulty with?  The more you explain, the more we can help you.

You state when you create a profile 'wiki puts them in the wrong place - please clarify? Only we/us/you/me create the profiles so it is only what 'we/you/me etc' have done.

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I work with developing computer software in my day job... and I agree, WikiTree is not very user friendly. I imagine even more so, if one has limited computer skills.

But in the short time I've been here, it seems to be getting better. And with practice, it gets easier.

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Nancy, I find it necessary to: Daily Clear my: Cache / Temp internet files & make profiles in sections, saving & using F- 5 a lot. I then return to my page on occasion & F-5 save it again, making sure I only have one wikitree window open. I find I have normally 2 wikitree & up to 5 seperate other site windows open to work on one profile. These two following links & G2G help me a lot. John :)  http://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Space:Jillaine's_Dream_Source_Help_Page & http://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Space:Kitty%27s_Library .

Also: Top Right of this page hover your mouse over Help & click Help Index. Most site navigation is done in the four "Pull Down" menus there :)

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I have a hard time cause it takes so long to put in a name then it gives you 2 different screens and you have to put things in that you don't know. I am not sure whether or not I have my family in the right place. I don't have my family on a gedcom file or whatever, I know who my family is on my father's side and my mother's side but then I have to look up people in Tennessee cause I have the names but no dates. Then when you put dates in, you have to go back and redo it cause they want it in a certain way. And they don't tell you that until you have finish and you click submit and then it doesn't go and then you have to go back and re do it.  It takes so much time to add what I need to add that It feels like it isn't worth it.  I wish it was more simply put.  Its everything in the right place and I suppose that is good but it takes too much time. I have collected a lot of data on my family, but to  put it in Wikitree would take more than a month non-stop. So why would I want to continue. I do genealogy work for other people and that is not hard compared to putting in my data on my family.

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Hiya, Nancy!  I hear your frustration.  Take heart: your posting on G2G may be the best thing possible for relieving it!  The angels on G2G are very helpful, and they respond fast.

 

To help them (and others) help you, would you do something?  Write a question for a tiny piece of WikiTree that is puzzling you (or is trying your patience), and post it on G2G.  I assure you that you'll have speedy assistance on it, but you needn't wait on that before you make another (separate) posting about a different tiny piece that you need help on.  

 

It is harder for folks to adequately answer broad questions. If one asks questions that have a very narrow focus, the answers can have an uplifting effect on one's WikiTree morale.

 

Good luck!

 

 

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Nancy, I make a pencil & paper profile that I want to add to each profile before I create any profile at wikitree. (I use LOTS of paper & pencil)It normally includes:

 * Parents w/ their dates of birth.,

* Places: DOB & DOD ., Burial Place & normally a link to findagrave.com but not always (It was suggested to me to build a profile from the Death/Burial backwards in time.),(might also include an Obituary).,

* Spouses: & dates...,

* Children; & dates...,

* Civil Activity, Rotary / Lions / VFW, Church, Political ...

* Military, names places & dates

* Etc,

Answer 1

Hi, Nancy.

If you are having trouble locating the profiles for your relatives and ancestors, I suggest using the family tree on the Family Tree and Tools page as a roadmap -- yours is at http://www.wikitree.com/genealogy/Smith-Family-Tree-56257

And if you want to add new family members or add information to an existing person, open the person's profile (or the the profile of an immediate family member for the person you want to add) and click on the "Edit" button near the top of the page. Near the top of the edit screen, you should see options to change or add data, as well as links to add spouses, parents, siblings, and children. Farther down the page, below the words "Edit Text" there's a boxed space in which you can type information -- a biography, notes about your information sources, etc.

After you edit the data on a page or add text, be sure to hit "Save Changes"!

Answer 2

Nancy, perhaps you're a candidate for a mentor.  Take a look at thread::

http://www.wikitree.com/g2g/249591/what-is-the-process-for-being-assigned-a-mentor?show=249591#q249591