FamilySearch Wiki:Community Dialogue Chronological

Introduction

This is a month-by-month listing or summary of conversations between Wiki contributors which take place in meetings and forum threads. The purposes of this list include:


 * Help the Community stay informed quickly and easily
 * Document decisions: When they were made, how they were implemented and by whom
 * Track the updating of guidelines. This includes Help content, Manual of Style, Projects, and more
 * Call attention to ideas and concerns not yet decided, allowing the Community to prioritize action

May 2011
10 May 2011 New since last week


 * Connections between Historical Record Collections pages and the rest of the Wiki A potential project -- to be sure these are updated in the appropriate localities.
 * Wiki User List A high percentage of users have not added to their user page. Includes some clarification of etiquette and content.
 * Empty Category Link Mentions a support case where the person may need more training. "there is still a problem since the suggested link goes to the portal page for the US not the Category page at all"

Comments added since last week


 * Tab Header Templates Recent posts indicate a maximum of ten tabs can be used and pointed to an example at Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD).
 * Template for new users to add User page Response to a previous post about logins.
 * Recognition of contributors Creative ideas for recognitions. Also a request for storing such ideas on moderator [or adopter] help pages.

Decisions made or items resolved during the week


 * Searching templates Searching for a specific collection ID (Historical Record Collections)
 * Citation Proposal - Vote Now! The change was implemented.
 * How best to add "Help" for contributors here "... we finally renamed the Tech Support forum to Contributor Help!"

3 May 2011


 * Template for new users to add User page Mentions the Welcome template, which gives ideas to users for adding to their user pages.
 * Related thread User Pages
 * Recognition of contributors Pointing to Utah and Virginia pages for ideas.
 * Require Adopters to edit a page before Adoption sign is posted? Although the poll passed with a vote of 11 to 9, nothing has fully been decided. (With such a close vote, should it be vetted more? AdkinsWH)
 * Proposed edit of guiding principles "Free" area Link to "Creative Commons" website has been updated.

Have these decisions been acted upon?


 * Citation Proposal - Vote Now! As requested in last week's meeting, Evancol asked the person proposing the change to actually make the change.
 * Maximum period of inactivity of Moderators and Adopters
 * "Three strikes" communication policy for moderators and adopters
 * Should we subscribe new Adopters and Moderators to this forum by default?

April 2011
Polls


 * Citation Proposal
 * Poll closes April 26.
 * Before you vote, scroll to see the actual proposal.
 * To read the forum thread leading up to this poll, see Working Reference Citation Proposal
 * Should we subscribe new Adopters and Moderators to this forum by default? Only 4 votes, all "Yes." The comments made were insightful about keeping current and inclusive.
 * Should Adoption sign be @ top or bottom of adopted pages lacking infobox/topic box? 17 votes, 12 Top, 5 Bottom. Discussion (22 posts) is interesting.
 * Should adoption of a well-developed page be decided by its original contributors? 8 votes, all yes. No discussions posted.

Forum threads started April 13 - 19


 * Forum badge test Testing placement of a badge to increase traffic to the forums.
 * Long Pages How to make them easier for users. Need your ideas and suggestions in this thread.
 * Good change on Wiki home page Suggesting that the home page also needs some community re-thinking.

Added comments on existing threads


 * English Contributors Discussion this week (posts 15-19) has turned to links to the FHLC and even to the purpose of the wiki.
 * Proposed edit of guiding principles "Free" area Dicussion this week turned to "Creative Commons"
 * Tab Header Templates Includes how to find a list of existing templates, and wish lists, including font sizes and other tweeks.
 * How best to add "Help" for contributors here Continuing ideas and suggestions
 * Greenup County, KY - links act like text Issue added to "known issues" list for engineers. Also discovered why it was happening.

April 6 - 12


 * How best to add "Help" for contributors here Please "help" discuss and decide.
 * Greenup County, KY - links act like text This is a known problem.
 * Where would contributors look for answers to questions like this? Just by posting a forum thread?

From the Feedback Forum


 * Forums Facelift Includes suggestion to increase visibility of Forums.
 * ...not responsible for the content of external... Suggestions to make the Terms and Conditions of use or disclaimers more visible. Can engineers change it's placement?
 * Title for FHC (Family History Centers)

March 30 - April 5


 * Working Reference Citation Proposal 8 posts. A continuation of the Citations thread with 18 posts.
 * Recognition: Badges users can earn
 * Greenup County, KY - links act like text A plea for help.
 * Proposed edit of guiding principles "Free" area Suggested slight changes to a guiding principles page. Cottrells made the change.

March 2011
Polls


 * Should we subscribe new Adopters and Moderators to this forum by default? Poll closed April 5th.
 * Should adoption of a well-developed page be decided by its original contributors? Poll closed April 3rd.
 * Should Adoption sign be @ top or bottom of adopted pages lacking infobox/topic box? Poll closed April 3rd.
 * Require Adopters to edit a page before Adoption sign is posted? Poll closed Saturday, March 5
 * Results: 55% voted yes, 45% voted no.
 * For updates and further actions, see Require edits before placing adoption signs
 * Maximum period of inactivity of Moderators and Adopters Poll closed Saturday, March 5
 * Results: Remove them after... 44% voted 6 months, 33% voted 3 months.
 * For updates of further actions, see Inactivity
 * "Three strikes" communication policy for moderators and adopters Poll closed Saturday, March 5
 * Results: Remove them after... 40% voted 4 weeks. 26% each to 2 weeks and 6 weeks. Additional comments were made after polls closed.
 * For updates and further actions, see 3 Strikes

Forum Threads Started March 23 - 29


 * Tab Header Templates Interesting templates were found in Wikipedia that give great display options.
 * This needs to be added to the Wiki where contributors can find display options and suggestions for what they can add.
 * [Display on a page the number of edits made by a group of users? Wanting to know if there is software that will do this.
 * Pennsylvania page Links are now working.

March 16 - 22


 * Wiki Talk — Dialogue summary: Need for your input
 * Creating a summary of the dialogue from Forums and meetings. Need your ideas and suggestions
 * Question of procedure and policy
 * Question arose about procedures when much information may be wrong or offensive (Using American Indian example)
 * Suggestion: contact the project manager (Jimmy Parker in this case)
 * The Wiki is all about making additions/corrections
 * User decided to make changes (did not mention contacting the project leader
 * Citations
 * Wants Community guidelines for citing sources in the Wiki
 * A person is digesting what is written and needs updating
 * The Utah page has a good example. So does State of Franklin
 * Comment: There are quite a few different citation styles.... subsequent users can edit the citations if necessary. Don't make it an issue
 * Comment: it should be clear that the form of the citation is not as important as the content
 * Comment: Advanced professionals need great citation guidelines
 * Suggestion: Inform writers of purpose, where guidelines are found, at least type out the basics that others can fix
 * Weekly Thumbs up, Thumbs Down Report
 * English Contributors
 * Who is being invited to submit? Few contributors for England.
 * Suggested the person and others in England start
 * Suggested that they start with digitized records for England on FamilySearch.org

March 9 - 15


 * Over 100 pages of individual histories added Discusses that information about individuals is not appropriate for the Wiki. Suggestions include:
 * Ways to contact a contributer who adds individual names
 * Need to clarify guidelines in Wiki.
 * Meeting discussion (3/15/11) suggested that Welcoming point to the Guidelines.
 * Alternative places to post their information WeRelate.com, BiographicalWiki.com, and GenerationStation.com. Link to your information from the Wiki
 * One place to look concept: As you become aware of others sites to post such information on the Internet, please update Try another wiki

March 1 - 8


 * Entries containing references to FamilySearch.org
 * User Pages
 * Continuum of Engagment
 * Getting more information on photos that are upload
 * Purpose and Appropriate Topics Calls attention to need for reviewing/updating these pages.
 * Start of Moderator Handbook already on Wiki
 * Recognition Rewarding Wiki accomplishments
 * Genealogy's Star writes about the wiki
 * Family Tech posts an article about the wiki

February 2011
Polls


 * Proposed: Link from adoption sign to adopter's user page

Forum Threads Started


 * Help vs. FamilySearch Wiki namespace


 * Should we have substantial prerequisities for moderators?
 * Maximum period of inactivity of Moderators and Adopters
 * Require Adopters to edit a page before Adoption sign is posted?
 * Recruiting Moderators
 * "Three strikes" communication policy for moderators and adopters
 * Sandbox category
 * Another advertising question
 * Proposal: Remove sandboxes from search results
 * Maintenance Templates/Policy
 * Creating Video Trainings

January 2011
Note: This is the month the Wiki Contributor's meeting began. It was an outgrowth of the Tech meeting.


 * Proposed: Link from adoption sign to adopter's user page
 * Community Center, Village Pump, or something else?

December 2010
Forum Threads Started

Moderators and Adopters


 * Relative stewardship of moderators and adopters
 * Qualifications of adopters and moderators
 * Encouraging User Participation on Adopted Pages
 * Page Adopter category
 * Moderators and Adopters: level of activity


 * Forum Digest: a plan for reaching decisions, implementing ideas


 * Affiliate links?
 * FamilySearch Wiki Affiliates Logo
 * Record Search Updates Archive
 * How to account for Indexing when writing wiki projects?
 * Welcoming

Display


 * Tennessee page restructure proposal
 * Why the green border and { ?

Technical problems


 * We're going to roll back the database. Recent changes will be lost.
 * Vanishing edits

November 2010
Note: This is the month the Wiki Contributor's Corner forum began.

Forum threads started:

Moderators and adopters


 * Should we have separate forums for Moderators, Adopters and contributors?
 * Moderators - Sharing best practices
 * Replacing a moderator or adopter?
 * Technical Volunteer duties
 * Limit number of pages for moderator or adopter?

All contributors


 * Term limits?


 * Avoiding Redundance while Meeting User Needs
 * Recognition: Adopters, moderators, and contributors
 * The Wiki Audience


 * Is this Advertising

Display


 * Is your image (or map) too wide for a wiki page? Try making a scrolling image!
 * Table too wide on a wiki page? Make a scrolling table!