What's changed with the GEDCOM export?

Question

I've been updating my local GEDCOM backups and I noticed all the files are a little bit smaller. Mostly just a bit smaller, but I just did one that dropped from 604kb three months ago to 533kb today.

Are the files now more efficient or has some information been dropped out?

Comments

Mark, have you also checked the number of individuals contained in each of the backup Gedcoms? I'd be curious if there were fewer people in the last one.

If so, that may be because earlier versions contained duplicates that have subsequently been merged. Or perhaps you removed yourself from the Trusted List of some profiles since your last export ?

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Another cause might be that the narratives of some of the profiles were edited down.

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Well I overwrote the previous GEDCOM, so too late to compare! I will have to try a new one.

I have recently removed myself from a number of spouses, but I have not previously needed to be on the trusted list for profiles to be downloaded.

The GEDCOM with the big drop contains 100s of people. The odd merge or biography change can't explain the difference.

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Did the privacy restrictions and the flap over how law enforcement was using GEDmatch happen between your GEDCOM editions?