Like Louann, I'm not a newbie...I am part of the BioBuilders team and when I come across a profile I can significantly improve, I will. I don't amend what's there, UNLESS it's so and so was born in year and passed away in year. Those two statements I amend to so and so was born on specific date, to whom, and where, and so and so died on this specific date, location of death and where they are buried. But I also add all of the other information I can find on that person and I'm pretty thorough). I use inline citations to support what I've added or "been more specific (amendments)" about. I usually check to see if it's an active profile manager, AND how many contributions they have made to WikiTree, how many people they are adding (I've found that most of the profiles that I come across people are just adding people and not really elaborating). What I do not do, is mess with the formatting if there is any of the biography. If it's an active manager, I'll shoot them a quick private message telling them that I am or that I did. 99% of the time I am told, just be bold, you don't have to tell me.
On the flip side of the coin, I have a specific formatting that I use in the profiles that I manage, and the biographies that I build. If a profile manager doesn't like the formatting I'm not offended that they remove it...what does bug me is in the profile I manage, I've got people coming in and removing my formatting without so much as a by your leave. I've had a couple of people change my FAG sources from what is on the help page to a shortened form that shows absolutely nothing but find a grave and the memorial number, while the link still works...I don't want to have to go to the link to look at the information, If there is nothing wrong with my source (if it ain't broke), don't "fix it". I ended up getting referred to a mentor because I fussed about somebody messing with my formatting before when I was new...but yet we are also told to be bold.
It's very confusing...and here's the thing...if a profile manager doesn't like something we did (I stopped complaining about it and just fix it back to the way I had it), there are a couple of options...fix it the way they want OR use that nifty button to undo the changes. (Which we are told to go ahead, not to be afraid because if we make a mistake it can be fixed). I for one appreciate when someone enhances a profile I manage. I find out about it in my Family Activity Feed, and 9 out of ten times I send a thank you from there. 1 out of 100 times I will send a private message to the person asking them why they did something. 1 out of 1000 times I will send them a private message asking them not to remove the formatting or "fix" the formatting of the profiles I manage. (I sound kind of harsh here, but I am polite but firm about it when I do...I'm more of a diplomat than a bully).
And no I don't mind if anyone chooses to use the formatting that I shared above. I designed that document to share with someone who asked for it. And no I don't have a problem, with after you have copied it, you adjusting your copy to fit your own style. I developed that for me for the BioBuilders challenges. Please do not alter the original, only because you will mess it up for other people...I have my own copy on my external hard drive that I use.
