Why is this site so complicated to use? I hate it already.

Question

Why, WHY put up a site that you need a master's degree to navigate?  I am so frustrated with this site already.  I cannot enter my genealogy because the stupid site won't let me.

Comments

Hi Valerie,

If you would like help I'd be very happy to help you. I too found it really hard at first, truly, you have no idea how frustrated I was. There were even tears as I sat at my computer trying to make sense of it all. Please accept my apologies on behalf of the community for all the down votes you have recieved :( We are mean't to strive to be the most friendly site on the web, not the most judgemental. It's all good and perfectly understandable that it is far from easy for allot of folk, we are all different afterall, and that is the beauty of the human race. Please don't hesitate to p.m. me and I'll help you all I can. More than happy to give you step by step instructions by way of email until it all makes sense. And it will .... it just takes a little time :)

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I agree.

The site algorythms aren't smart enough to recognise different language date input!

Adding records pre 1600 is an absolute nightmare!

The 'lean' information available from other resourceful sites cannot always be substantiated other than by rerefence to their site data.

Whereas birth dates may be available, death dates are often not, but UNK, (for a 16th century average 40 year life cycle), is presumed to be before birth date! Unreal.

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I want to go back in time and hug everyone who has struggled here. I was nice until I got here and was talked to like an idiot.  I don't effing know how to code. I'm right brained. I flunked University level Algebra four times. But I am awesome at other things that don't seem to matter here.

Being "welcomed to genealogy" by strangers who don't know that you come from a long line of actual genealogists whose work you were probably using today? Ugghh . :/

They DOWN VOTED you?  Yeah, I'm done.  Pretty sure I left middle school in the 1980s where it belongs. That's truly petty, I didn't even realize people's frustration and honesty were subject to judgment here as well.

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I know this old but wanted to add that I do have a Master's degree and still have problems. LOL

Answer 1

This may help:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PrsUSbOaZxs

 

If you still think this site is not for you:

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Closing_an_Account

Answer 2

You have to sign the Honor Code.

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Special:Honor_Code

Comments

Where do you sign the stupid "honor code"?  Never mind, this site is too complicated to be worth while.  I quit.  If this is the site that Cyndi of Cyndi's List put together, it is a shame.

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Here's some information about volunteering and signing the Honor Code.

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Volunteers

 There is a learning curve to WikiTree, no doubt about it.  But many of us have found it to be well worth it.  I hope you'll reconsider and give it a try.

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The Honor Code is not stupid. It's there because WikiTree is about collaboration with other people, which can be very challenging to some people.

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It seems like a very long time ago now, but I recall being annoyed by all the steps I had to go through to become a full-fledged member of WikiTree.

I now believe the multi-step process, including the Honor Code, is a really positive feature of this site, as it may discourage some prospective contributors who aren't committed to trying to do quality genealogy. But if you have that commitment, please do sign the Honor Code and join us as a "WikiTree Genealogist"!

Answer 3

Where do I sign to receive my Master's?

I have a Bachelor's and can navigate the site just fine. My niece who isn't even in high school yet was able to navigate it as well.

You aren't signed up as a volunteer yet. You're just a guest. You can't add family members as a guest. Clicking the guest badge on your page would show you that. To quote the page you failed to locate and read:

Anyone can register as a Guest.

Guest Members can participate in the Genealogist-to-Genealogist Forum and edit their own profile. They cannot create or edit other profiles but they can add comments to profiles. They can upload GEDCOMs and take advantage of GEDCompare but can't create profiles by importing GEDCOMs.

A Guest Member can become a Wiki Genealogist if they volunteer to help grow The Free Family Tree and a current Wiki Genealogist (usually a Greeter) confirms them. This gives them a Family Member account which is then converted to a Wiki Genealogist account as soon as they sign the Honor Code.

Guests may just be exploring WikiTree. There is no commitment. They can choose to delete their account at any time.

Emphasis on the large font.

Comments

Well,I am certainly glad your family consists of all geniuses!  Your answer was not helpful but sarcastic and I don't appreciate it.

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If you are referring to G. Bartomeo's answer, then I agree, I think his answer was unnecessarily sarcastic. But if you can look past his sarcasm, then his answer could prove helpful still.

The point is, there is a process to follow before being allowed to make changes to this site. We are very careful to not allow malicious or spam accounts to be granted access to this site. By following the process, you prove that you are serious about making WikiTree a great place for genealogical collaboration.

I also agree that this site can be difficult to navigate at first. I remember having some trouble myself initially, and I work in the tech industry (so I thought I should be able to navigate the site with ease). But I'm having trouble now remembering why I thought this site was so difficult before.

There are plenty of people here willing to help you, if you are willing to learn. Take a deep breath, come back in a day or two and try again, maybe.

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Thank you, I’m fairly computer literate and cannot figure this site out.

I’m giving up on it until someone comes along and fixes it.

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What exactly do you find unable to figure out?

Answer 4

I'm sorry you're having trouble. I know how aggravating it can be when you want to do something and the stupid computer/web page won't let you. But I have found that the WikiTree site is actually pretty helpful and accommodating if you go slowly and carefully. That is one of the main strengths of it: slowly and carefully means fewer mistakes. There should only be one profile for each person on wikitree. Each of us is only one person, so there should only be one profile for each individual. If you tell me why it won't let you enter your genealogy, I might be able to help. No guarantees, but maybe. :-)

Answer 5

Valerie i know exactly how you feel, and am from Denmark and I almost throw the iPad out the window, why I didn't was because there was so many wonderful wikkitree member to help out, and with great patience you only have to ask and someone will help you. But trust me I been where you are now but today I just love wikkitree.

Answer 6

LOL!  I think the same thing and have been semi-active on the site for over a year.

To be fair, the primary goal of this site has not ever been "ease of use," it's primary goals are collaboration between genealogists, creating a single family tree that links everybody, and full documentation of all claimed facts.  In those three things this site excels far above any other single genealogy site.

One of the reasons the site was designed to be hard to start entering information for new members is because of all the bad data that's floating around on other sites.  Other sites have made it too easy to enter bad data, create bad links, offering bogus hints at more bad data and more bad links, and we end up with the mess of errors that get duplicated from one person's tree to the next.

My advice is to take it in small doses.  Read as many of the HELP pages as you can, read the questions on the G2G forum, and ask about anything that frustrates or confuses you about the site.  The members here are friendly and helpful (we're all cousins, after all), and want to help you succeed.

Don't give up too soon.  It may be a difficult journey but I'm sure you'll appreciate the extra effort it takes.

Comments

Thank you Erik.  I don't know that I have the patience to put up with the NONSENSE of this site.  Whoever put it together must have really been having a hard day!  :D

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This site is a completely free service to those who choose to use and appreciate it.  The people who put it together did it because they love genealogy and they wanted to have a family tree that was collaborative, free and accessible to everyone.  So maybe, let's go easy on them :)  

We know it's not a site that everyone will appreciate but people who stick with it and take the time to learn it usually end up loving it. So if it's not for you, that's understandable.

Answer 7

Venting is Ok. It helps sometimes. It also may be that you have already decided that WikiTree is not for you. That's OK, too. It isn't everyone's cup of tea. Entering data (particularly biography data) is more complicated than other sites, the navigation menus aren't always intuitive and the learning curve can be slow. That being said, the people who contribute to this site are among the most generous and helpful I have found on the genealogy-related web. If you post specific threshold questions, I'm sure people will be along quickly to help you.

Comments

Here is information on "volunteering" - becoming a full member of the community. https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Volunteers

Answer 8

No, the site is not difficult.  As a Mentor, talk to me directly and let's get you started!

My reaction may not be prompt, as my time zone is GMT+1.

Here to help.

Ron

Answer 9

There's a long learning curve with Wikitree, but after you get through that learning curve, it's much easier to use than other trees, and it has some fairly noble goals.  After you sign the honor code, ask for a mentor, and people will help walk you through every step.  It's worth it.

Answer 10

I agree it is waaaaaaay to hard to navigate, except for the few who have mastered it. Doesn't matter if they answer a question as there are toooooo many questions that need to be answered. Im happy for those who can actually work this site, Im not one of those people. Its really sad that they have made it SO DIFFICULT to navigate, and so many rules, nothing works smoothly then there are the thank yous, and badges thing...... But, I must say the people who CAN use this site are wonderful in trying to help us who will never understand it. Thank you to those people! Im so done trying to figure it out. The time it takes to figure out this site, its incredible!