tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26204193.post2454482286414221300..comments2024-03-26T11:22:41.940-07:00Comments on Genea-Musings: Genealogy Wise - One Week LaterRandy Seaverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477703429102065294noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26204193.post-30333910317644298322010-09-10T22:08:47.502-07:002010-09-10T22:08:47.502-07:00thanks, I had wondered what it was like. So they h...thanks, I had wondered what it was like. So they have a chat room, I may have to lurk.A rootdiggerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02642330951208433671noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26204193.post-63987367431729897932009-07-16T09:57:39.900-07:002009-07-16T09:57:39.900-07:00Well, I just spent about an hour exploring Genealo...Well, I just spent about an hour exploring Genealogy Wise, and here are my observations:<br />1. There is absolutely no organization whatsoever to the site. If you want to find a group of interest, there are no categories; you have to use the search bar. This is a disservice to the genealogy community. "Joe Blow's group" may be exactly what a researcher needs, but can't find it because he or she is looking for groups related to "Springfield."<br />2. The quality of the posts is disappointing: "I’m looking for the Mueller family in Germany" or "Researching the O’Malleys in Ireland." Posts like that come from researchers who know next to nothing about genealogy. Why would I want to be in such a group? Yes, I could provide some advice in response to such posts, but I’d have to do that a thousand times over. On mailing lists, I ALWAYS provide help to those who have demonstrated they've made an effort to do some research. But why should I be bothered to help people who can't even pick up a basic book on how to do genealogy?<br />3. There's an incredible amount of insidious advertising on the site. Groups are set up that are focused on a particular blog, or responses to queries may be "Check my website/blog for help with that." I am SO tired of spam, in all its various guises.<br />4. There's a lot of game playing going on. In a group dedicated to xyz software, for example, they're playing the game "What do you like most about xyz software?" Many people, myself included, don't have time for such nonsense. Besides, it was probably a promotional post submitted by one of the developers of xyz software. (See #3.)<br />5. I've done a dozen or so searches on surnames, geographic localities, and other topics and come up empty handed. I realize that the site is just starting out, but these results suggest that the members of Genealogy Wise are just the same old people who have populated the RootsWeb message boards or uploaded trees to Ancestry or WorldConnect. There's nothing new here.Oxahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00585243150524031259noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26204193.post-16729151703331151312009-07-15T20:56:52.727-07:002009-07-15T20:56:52.727-07:00Hey Randy, thanks for sharing your opinion. I agre...Hey Randy, thanks for sharing your opinion. I agree that GenealogyWise is great for social networking with genealogists but it's too open for abuse right now. The recent contest is such a disappointment because of all the bad behaviors it's going to produce. Earlier today, I twittered this link: <br /><br />http://bokardo.com/archives/are-you-rewarding-good-behavior/<br /><br />Josh's post is about social networks needing to think carefully about blindly rewarding behavior, but not necessarily the 'good neighborly' kind!Lisa Rexhttp://rootsfinder.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26204193.post-15353406148944810532009-07-15T20:15:29.858-07:002009-07-15T20:15:29.858-07:00I consider myself a serious family historian. I do...I consider myself a serious family historian. I don't think I like this development. <br /><br />GenealogyWise is running 8 contests with $800 in total prizes between now and August 6: <br /><br /> * $100 for the member with the most confirmed friends in GenealogyWise. <br /> * $100 to the owner of the group with the most members. <br /> * $100 to the owner of the surname group with the most members.<br /><br />And five more similar categories.<br /><br />Am I anti-social?footnoteMavenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16136826114954180827noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26204193.post-27954461285614348682009-07-15T17:45:32.406-07:002009-07-15T17:45:32.406-07:00I agree with your comments. I'm not losing ho...I agree with your comments. I'm not losing hope on it but it has a way to go to be useful for me. Right now it seems like one more thing to keep up with so I haven't posted much of anything there.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26204193.post-8372828819764346132009-07-15T03:49:14.172-07:002009-07-15T03:49:14.172-07:00I Genealogywise, and I also joined several groups....I Genealogywise, and I also joined several groups. Thus far, however, I don't find it useful. That may be because I don't have much time for it either. Posts to one of he groups I joined seem to be obituaries or biographies of someone's ancestors. I believe if I turned off all the e-mails, I would forget about it completely.GrannyPamhttp://www.warrenweb.info/genealogynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26204193.post-4537792458246742272009-07-15T01:49:07.667-07:002009-07-15T01:49:07.667-07:00I agree with most of your comments. As it grows it...I agree with most of your comments. As it grows it is rather complex to understand and follow. Structure is needed,TorillJhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15916298008447381786noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26204193.post-11916368761813150412009-07-14T22:32:53.952-07:002009-07-14T22:32:53.952-07:00Considerably less optimistic than I was a few days...Considerably less optimistic than I was a few days ago, but still feel it will eclipse FB. Groups with open membership policies will quickly degrade as user base grows larger and more casual. Already seeing an increase in clueless queries spammed to groups ("Can somebody help me find John and Jane Smith from ..., Jane was full-blood Cherokee-Chickasaw-Choctaw-Venusian"). Having said that, I think it has value as a place to set up a very "approachable" presence for societies, blogging groups, etc. It may prove a pretty effective recruiting tool for them. Therein probably lies its largest promise.J. Moorehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05642276127828426689noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26204193.post-45687469297749171262009-07-14T22:21:47.324-07:002009-07-14T22:21:47.324-07:00There should be an RSS feed button to click at the...There should be an RSS feed button to click at the bottom of the main blog stream. (A little green box with what looks like a sound wave picture on it.) <br /><br />You'll see a similar icon to click on for individual member blogs streams.<br /><br />Similarly in the Discussion Forums in groups.<br /><br />Unfortunately, I don't see one for Group commentsJohnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17779409214968505642noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26204193.post-53208491483136549582009-07-14T22:16:43.968-07:002009-07-14T22:16:43.968-07:00Well, done!
Both your original piece, and this fo...Well, done!<br /><br />Both your original piece, and this follow-up.<br /><br />In my opinion, critiques such as yours, and other respected, knowledgeable, tech savvy sorts among the Community, will only help the GW folks evolve the place, and help the rest of us understand how best to use it, and contribute.<br /><br />Gowing pains are to be expected, and shouldn't scare people off.<br /><br />It will be interesting to see if it has staying power.Kiril The Mad Macedonianhttp://www.madmacedonian.comnoreply@blogger.com