G2G: Why does WikiTree allow anonymous users?

Question

Why does WikiTree allow anonymous postings? Seems very inconsistent with the notion of a collaborative space.

Answer 1

I don't agree or disagree with your statement.

However by answering questions that I might be able to help with or make suggestions,  I have found that many of the anonymous user's get a little 'bolder' and start posting their name/link with any later questions.

Makes me wonder if maybe being a newbie, anonymous might just be a little shy at first, or maybe they are just testing the waters - to see if this Help Thing really works! 

And some might be wondering if this site is worth joining, or if in the end this is really just another pay site, once you get started or get your first hit.  So many sites say 'free' but end up with a screen that says we found 47,383 John Hoyt's - to see these results pay here.

And some are astounded by the results when someone suggests a site or source where they can suddenly find/confirm the research on their own.

And there are some that never respond/acknowledge anything - so you never know if they came back and checked for an answer at all. 

I'll just keep on answering them when I can, because when I started out none of this online stuff - free sites,free  sources, free genealogy help, was out there.  It was in a library, church, town hall, family docs etc.

 

 

 

Answer 2

From my point of view, "anonymous" = "distrust". In life in general, a person who is not prepared to stand up and be counted, cannot expect their comments/views to be given much credence. With respect to Wikitree and G2G, anonymous "contributions" are totally at odds with the principle of collaboration. My immediate reaction on seeing "anonymous" as a signature is to treat that question or comment with contempt (and ignore it)! This might open a can of worms, but, if you are ashamed of your identity, stay off the internet! Proudly inserted by Peter Knowles.

Answer 3

I like what Chris Hoyt wrote, but to add a few thoughts of my own:

Personally, I'd like there to be more opportunities for anonymous posting. We have a heck of a time controlling spammers. They forced us to shut down anonymous posting of bulletin board comments. We may try adding them back soon. (We do currently allow anonymous G2G participation and anonymous private messages, subject to limits.)

I would hate to think that information might be lost because someone gets slowed down or sidetracked due to the need to register. If somebody out there has a fact or tidbit on one of my ancestors I want to know it, even if I have to do the sorting and integration work myself.

Comments

Several weeks later, I have found no evidence of quality contributions by anonymous posters; their questions tend to to be incomplete (ala "Who was my grandfather?"), and I have yet to find evidence that they come back and read answers to their questions.

What is the purpose of g2g? Is it an open forum for anyone to ask open-ended questions? Or is it a replacement for "talk" pages that normally go with a wiki?

Seems like offering a broad, open forum for anyone, is what is known as "mission creep." I just don't see how it advances the primary purpose of the wiki. And personally, it distracts me from time I could be focusing on making the wiki content more useful.