What do you believe are some of WikiTree’s best “hidden” features?

Question

Some of the “hidden” features I love most are 

1. A report for all your known ancestors within 2,000 years http://wikitree.sdms.si/function/WTWebAncestors/errors.htm?WikiTreeID=Roberts-7085 Just replace Roberts-7095 with your WikiTree ID

2. A report of all the males with your surname who have Y-DNA tested https://www.wikitree.com/index.php?filterId=&filterType=yDNA&title=Special%3ADNATests&s=ROBERTS&order=name

Just replace ROBERTS with the surname of your choice.

3. The ability to find portraits of your ancestors and find your ancestors who have descendants who have been Y-DNA or mtDNA tested https://www.wikitree.com/treewidget/Beaufort-1/899

What can you share?

Answer 1

This is helpful when I see empty bios:

https://apps.wikitree.com/apps/shipley1223/Bio.html

Comments

Cool.  I did not know that existed.  Thanks.

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I didn't either a few months ago. Someone on Geni posted that in the forums there and I thought I'd give it a try. It's pretty cool. One thing to note is that you may have to edit for grammar at the end. Like add a period here and there.

However, that could just be nitpicking.

Answer 2

Your report #1 sounded intriguing, so I tried it. It gave a few names, but mostly just statistics.

In one case there was a name I didn’t recognize, so I looked into it further. The reference was useless: an event in the 1600’s as remembered by the submitter. He has not been active in several years, so he has no interest in it.

I find it discouraging when these unsourced or improperly sourced people come up with such alarming frequency.

Answer 3

I saw your question and headed a totally different direction.   The best hidden feature of Wikitree is that spark that happens when you realize that the work of many people is what solves your biggest ancestral mysteries!

While we are read the share our ancestors and collaborate, until you break through a wall, you really do not understand the benefit of this approach.

Comments

I certainly hope this happens frequently!

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Right! And the more you contribute, the more you benefit.

Answer 4

Collaboration!!!

Not just working on common ancestors, but a community working together to pull in sources and local histories and stories...

Seeing family and geography patterns by watching contributions feed for surname tags and following G2G

Learning by seeing great biographies and the diversity of (“quality”) sources supporting those stories.

Comments

Kay, I so love your attitude!  I identify WikiTree is more of a sort of community that I would like to live in...oh yea, I guess I do!  :-)

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Me, too, Kay.  The community, and the connections to local figures, as well as family members, established, here, are what make me anxious to to read my daily feeds, monitor the G2G, and help,where I feel competent.

Answer 5

Great question!

For me the things I really enjoy about WikiTree are not that hidden.  But just the things that make it great and easy to use.

For example, just the basic profile creator, it is easy to use and fill in all the boxes and edit information later.  On the other genealogy websites I use like Geni, FamilySearch and Ancestry I feel like it is always more of a challenge to enter in the data and have it come out looking like you want it to.  At least you always have to click a bunch of icons or boxes and wait for things to refresh.  So I enjoy the editable wiki approach to genealogy profiles.  

Also I really enjoy the G2G forum and the ability to "Ask a question" tied directly to a profile.  This is a great help as there are usually other skilled genealogist willing to help look up information on a profile I may be having difficulty with finding out certain information.

Then of course the Relationship Finder is way cool and much more robust then the similar tool at the other websites.  Allowing you to check the connection between any two profiles, not just your profile to others.

Lastly there is a cool tool I have found outside of WikiTree where you can upload your GEDCOM file and it makes a nifty family tree graphic for you.  Check it out at http://learnforeverlearn.com/ancestors/

PEACE!

Answer 6

I like that you can share a tree of ancestral portraits https://www.wikitree.com/treewidget/Ayer-961/4

Answer 7

About those nifty TreeWidgets...

Last year, when I registered a one-name study with the Guild and built a for-purpose website, I wanted to know what options I had for TreeWidgets I could use there. So I went hunting...and tried a whole boatload of ID combinations. I've not used most of them since, and have not gone back to confirm the others. So current functionality not guaranteed. I may come to regret this, but it won't be the first time.  :-)

Help links:

• https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Help:Wikid_Shareable_Tree
• https://www.wikitree.com/about/family-tree-widgets.html
• https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Help:Widget_FAQ
• https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Help:Shareable_Images
• https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Help:Installing_Widgets

(Edited: Well, shoot. I used "XXXX-1234" as a profile ID in the examples below, and that created a monumental number of erroneous links because...duh...that ain't a valid WikiTree profile. So here's the list using an actual profile ID.)

TreeWidget list ("embeddable" and "not embeddable" refer to inserting the widget on an external webpage or blog); replace "Threlkeld-241" with a valid WikiTree profile ID:

• WikiTree Widget List for a Particular Profile; NOT EMBEDDABLE: https://www.wikitree.com/treewidget/Threlkeld-241/1000
• WikiTree Basic Pedigree Chart, 4 Generations; EMBEDDABLE: https://www.wikitree.com/treewidget/Threlkeld-241/33
• WikiTree 3-generation Ancestor Tree in Pedigree (Landscape) Format; EMBEDDABLE: https://www.wikitree.com/treewidget/Threlkeld-241/1
• WikiTree 3-generation Ancestor Tree with B&W Tree Background; EMBEDDABLE: https://www.wikitree.com/treewidget/Threlkeld-241/2
• WikiTree 4-generation Ancestor Chart in Pedigree (Landscape) Format; EMBEDDABLE: https://www.wikitree.com/treewidget/Threlkeld-241/3
• WikiTree 4-generation Ancestor Tree with Blue/Violet Tree Background; EMBEDDABLE: http://www.wikitree.com/treewidget/Threlkeld-241/4
• WikiTree Compact Family Tree, 8 Generations & up to 254 Ancestors; NOT EMBEDDABLE: http://www.wikitree.com/treewidget/Threlkeld-241/5
• WikiTree Sharable Image of an Individual and Ancestors (Note: generates a page with a downloadable PNG; image must be saved first, and then can be uploaded elsewhere; is not an imagemap, i.e., not linked.): https://www.wikitree.com/treewidget/Threlkeld-241/6
• WikiTree Dynamic, Interactive Tree View; NOT EMBEDDABLE: https://www.wikitree.com/treewidget/Threlkeld-241/7
• WikiTree 10-generation Paternal Line Listing, in Simple Outline Format; EMBEDDABLE: https://www.wikitree.com/treewidget/Threlkeld-241/8
• List of Ancestors in Ahnentafel Numbering; NOT EMBEDDABLE: https://www.wikitree.com/treewidget/Threlkeld-241/9
• WikiTree Surname List; NOT EMBEDDABLE (Note: the surnames page is a quick reference that displays 7 generations of family names; URL may be shared via e-mail, e.g. with a DNA match; displays surnames in vertical family tree for the first 5 generations; each surname is linked to the particular ancestor's profile.): https://www.wikitree.com/treewidget/Threlkeld-241/10
• WikiTree Surname Navigation Page; NOT EMBEDDABLE (Note: views of WikiTree activities related to the person's first eight surnames; this includes links to: profiles on your Watchlist; all activity on profiles in the past week; G2G questions & answers tagged with the surname; Genealogists following the surname; surname DNA connections; surname Suggestions from WikiTree+; Orphaned profiles with the surname; Unconnected profiles with the surname; Unsourced profiles with the surname): https://www.wikitree.com/treewidget/Threlkeld-241/11
• WikiTree 4-generation Ancestor Chart in Pedigree (Landscape) Format WITH Locations; EMBEDDABLE: https://www.wikitree.com/treewidget/Threlkeld-241/30
• WikiTree 4-generation Ancestor Chart in Pedigree (Landscape) Format, barebones with No Photos and Only Years and Middle Initials; EMBEDDABLE: https://www.wikitree.com/treewidget/Threlkeld-241/33
• WikiTree 10-generation Maternal Line Listing, in Simple Outline Format; EMBEDDABLE: https://www.wikitree.com/treewidget/Threlkeld-241/88
• WikiTree DNA Ancestors, 3-generation Tree w/ DNA Strand Background; NOT EMBEDDABLE (Note: includes yDNA, mtDNA, and X-chromosome summary below tree in outline format; all linked): https://www.wikitree.com/treewidget/Threlkeld-241/89
• WikiTree 10-generation Descendant Listing, in Simple Outline Format; EMBEDDABLE: https://www.wikitree.com/treewidget/Threlkeld-241/90
• WikiTree Printable Pedigree Chart, 5 Generations; EMBEDDABLE (Note: in landscape mode; includes blank boxes for unknown ancestors): https://www.wikitree.com/treewidget/Threlkeld-241/100
• WikiTree Notables Relationship Finder Quick Links; NOT EMBEDDABLE (Note: NOT for external use; compares a profile to U.S. Presidents, Magna Carta Sureties, and WikiTree Team; interactive, provides no information on launch page; not embeddable): https://www.wikitree.com/treewidget/Threlkeld-241/102
• WikiTree 3-generation Ancestor Tree with Techno-tree Orange/Green Background; EMBEDDABLE: https://www.wikitree.com/treewidget/Threlkeld-241/200
• WikiTree 3-generation Ancestor Tree with Blue/Violet Tree Background; EMBEDDABLE: https://www.wikitree.com/treewidget/Threlkeld-241/201
• WikiTree 3-generation Ancestor Tree with Global Family Reunion Background; EMBEDDABLE: https://www.wikitree.com/treewidget/Threlkeld-241/210
• WikiTree 3-generation Ancestor Tree with Selectable Photo or Map Background; EMBEDDABLE: https://www.wikitree.com/treewidget/Threlkeld-241/222 (For a map of Northern Europe, centered on Britain and France, substitute the number 226 where you see the number 222 in the URL; Ireland: 229; Southern Europe: 227; New York: 223; Chicago: 224; Boston: 225; Texas: 230; Nova Scotia: 221; WWI V-J Times Square Kiss: 228
• WikiTree 3-generation DNA Ancestor Chart with DNA Strand Background; EMBEDDABLE: https://www.wikitree.com/treewidget/Threlkeld-241/289
• WikiTree Family Group Sheet; NOT EMBEDDABLE (Note: displays basic individual details for one couple and their children only; does not go deeper than the couple's children; all linked; downloadable image available): https://www.wikitree.com/treewidget/Threlkeld-241/300
• WikiTree Y-DNA and X-DNA Descendants View, 10 Generations; NOT EMBEDDABLE (Note: landscape layout; all linked): https://www.wikitree.com/treewidget/Threlkeld-241/890
• WikiTree DNA Ancestor Confirmation Aid; NOT EMBEDDABLE (Note: includes abbreviated chart using Ahnentafel numbering for ancestors who might be able to be confirmed by DNA; following that is extensive summary of all profiles involved; all linked): https://www.wikitree.com/treewidget/Threlkeld-241/899

Answer 8

I love that Wiki has Adoption Angels and Black Heritage. Both of these are what helps make us a family!!! I do want to say, that my previous Mentor: Paula R. was and still is my angel. I don't know what I would have done without her. Probably, give up.

Answer 9

I don't know because I haven't found it yet.

But seriously, the creator report:

https://wikitree.sdms.si/default.htm?report=srch1&Query=creator_Burch-2229&MaxProfiles=50000

It gives you the # of profiles a person has created. There is also a "Bio Check" function where you can see if there are problems with the Bio.