Talk:User group meeting agenda & minutes 27 August 2008

Forums. Please explain all about Forums. Many of us avoid them because they are confusing and mysterious and hard to figure out how to use. Diltsgd 21:56, 20 August 2008 (UTC)

I know how you felt about these Forums. I tried to navigate to get to correct forums and it was NOT a pleasant experience trying to get there, much less trying to remember how to get there. dsammy 23:11, 22 August 2008 (UTC)

"Get started with this site" topic for this week: Locating discussion about a page. Please discuss this page and explain it. Diltsgd 22:24, 20 August 2008 (UTC)

WorldCat citations and links . Somebody need to explain HOW to find the appropriate library links and link them in the Wiki. I tried and got nowhere even I found several books in other libraries and even in the Heritagequestonline. dsammy 23:11, 22 August 2008 (UTC)

"FamilySearch.org" link side by side with "FamilySearch Catalog" - SOMEBODY Please make make up his/her mind! Just in last meeting I had very clear understanding to about having both visible side by side. Now the visitors will think it is familyhistorylibrary.org if they don't know it. I know because I administer more than 25 mailing lists for more than 10 years and DO see that dumb question every time somebody ask where the FamilySearch Catalog is on Internet and they have to be told it is at familysearch.org every time. After 12 years you would think they ever learned - but no. Not only that but I subscribe to more than 200 other mailing lists and it is same dumb question being asked again and again. dsammy 23:36, 22 August 2008 (UTC)

You need to step out of the box and place yourself in these shoes: (these are actual cases I had over 12 years)


 * Man travelling to Europe and never knew he can find FamilySearch Catalog at FamilySearch saving his $$ travelling for the records.
 * Frequent question "Where can I find Family History Library" and get flamed for not even knowing about FamilySearch.org where the Catalog is located. (I've had to step in to quell flaming attacks on the mailing lists I administer.)
 * The asking persons are not limited to the novices, even the professional genealogists ask that question.
 * The person never learn the first time.
 * The person never go back to same site to get the link to FamilySearch Catalog so soon, preferring to go straight, completely bypassing the Wiki when opportunity arise but NEEDS to remember where the Catalog is located on the Internet.
 * The key is keeping BOTH visible with link in FamilySearch.org to continue reminding visitors that the Catalog can be found in the FamilySearch.org's revamped site.
 * There is NO specific page for the FamilySearch Catalog itself. You can see for yourself. Here is the supposed page:https://wiki.familysearch.org/w/index.php?title=FamilySearch_Catalog The only pages in Wiki does not address ALL aspects of the Catalog, showing only 8 features. The centralized page needs to be created and show all aspects of the Catalog including appropriate off-page links to 7 specifics.

Good News for Maps
I found the maps we needed for much of the Wiki, except Europe (lousy map!) I've been editing the maps for US counties last few days to get all ready for uploading at once.