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FamilySearch Wiki:Introduction: Difference between revisions
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People seeking research advice have to search many sources to find it. FamilySearch Wiki is a Website where the community can write and update research advice for any locality. Here's an overview of our vision and an invitation to join us. | People seeking research advice have to search many sources to find it. FamilySearch Wiki is a Website where the community can write and update research advice for any locality. Here's an overview of our vision and an invitation to join us. | ||
== Launched in 2008 == | == [[Image:ModelRocket.jpg|left|150px]]Launched in 2008 == | ||
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FamilySearch Wiki was launched on the Web in an open beta using [http://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/MediaWiki MediaWiki] software during the first quarter of 2008. Before that the wiki was available to a limited group of users on a [http://plone.org/ Plone] site. | FamilySearch Wiki was launched on the Web in an open beta using [http://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/MediaWiki MediaWiki] software during the first quarter of 2008. Before that the wiki was available to a limited group of users on a [http://plone.org/ Plone] site. | ||
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FamilySearch is a non-profit organization whose mission is to provide genealogical records and services to people worldwide. Our services are free, as are most of our products -- including data sets online.<ref>FamilySearch occasionally offers products at cost, such as genealogical records on CD-ROM, and we sometimes charge a fee to recuperate costs, such as the price of postage for a microfilm sent to a patron at a Family History Center. We sometimes collaborate with commercial companies to provide indexes or digitized records, but we do not receive funds from them. However, 99% of our resources are offered to the public free of charge.</ref> We are funded by contributions from members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS). | FamilySearch is a non-profit organization whose mission is to provide genealogical records and services to people worldwide. Our services are free, as are most of our products -- including data sets online.<ref>FamilySearch occasionally offers products at cost, such as genealogical records on CD-ROM, and we sometimes charge a fee to recuperate costs, such as the price of postage for a microfilm sent to a patron at a Family History Center. We sometimes collaborate with commercial companies to provide indexes or digitized records, but we do not receive funds from them. However, 99% of our resources are offered to the public free of charge.</ref> We are funded by contributions from members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS). | ||
== Our multi-national users -- and why serving every country is important == | == Our multi-national users -- <br>and why serving every country is important == | ||
[[Image:Globe.png|right|130px|Globe.png]]We serve millions of people each year here at the Research WIki. Although the Wiki is funded by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints the overwhelming majority of our users are not LDS. The folks who use the Wiki range from the richest of people to the poorest and from all over the world. They come to the Wiki to find their ancestors and to get help as they work on their genealogy. We have records here from 244 countries all over the planet and that number is growing. | [[Image:Globe.png|right|130px|Globe.png]]We serve millions of people each year here at the Research WIki. Although the Wiki is funded by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints the overwhelming majority of our users are not LDS. The folks who use the Wiki range from the richest of people to the poorest and from all over the world. They come to the Wiki to find their ancestors and to get help as they work on their genealogy. We have records here from 244 countries all over the planet and that number is growing. <br> Some people are curious as to how there could be a demand for genealogical research support regarding a country where people live on a dollar a day. If residents there must focus their time and resources so heavily on mere survival, how could anyone there be doing genealogy? One of the answers lies in emigration. | ||
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Some people are curious as to how there could be a demand for genealogical research support regarding a country where people live on a dollar a day. If residents there must focus their time and resources so heavily on mere survival, how could anyone there be doing genealogy? One of the answers lies in emigration. | |||
When survival is tough in their nation of birth, people tend to emigrate to countries where life is not as difficult and once they settle in to their new country, their thoughts often turn to the ancestors who were left behind. Descendants of emigrants often become disconnected from their heritage and want to learn about their families. Thus, FamilySearch receives questions regarding genealogical research in even the poorest of countries -- including those where genealogy is an oral tradition rather than a process of documentation. | When survival is tough in their nation of birth, people tend to emigrate to countries where life is not as difficult and once they settle in to their new country, their thoughts often turn to the ancestors who were left behind. Descendants of emigrants often become disconnected from their heritage and want to learn about their families. Thus, FamilySearch receives questions regarding genealogical research in even the poorest of countries -- including those where genealogy is an oral tradition rather than a process of documentation. | ||
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== The answer? Community! == | == The answer? Community! == | ||
[[Image:Thumb community circle.png|right| | [[Image:Thumb community circle.png|right|125px|Thumb community circle.png]]Our list of challenges illustrates a need to increase the scale, publishing speed, and scope of research advice. Our strengths in knowledge, volunteer base, number of locations, and records collection indicate we can overcome these challenges if we work together as a community. <br> If community is the answer, who is doing community work well and what can we learn from them? Wikipedia, the online encyclopedia built by volunteers, is arguably the most notable community site. Like other wikis, Wikipedia allows regular people to write about their favorite topics using a simple editing tool. In other words, it allows people who aren’t techno-geeks to write content online. Most Internet users are familiar with Wikipedia, but many who have used it are not aware of a few important facts: | ||
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*Wikipedia is the 6th most popular Website. <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.alexa.com/topsites|title=Alexa Top 500 Global Sites|work=Alexa Internet|accessdate=20 February 2013}}</ref> | *Wikipedia is the 6th most popular Website. <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.alexa.com/topsites|title=Alexa Top 500 Global Sites|work=Alexa Internet|accessdate=20 February 2013}}</ref> | ||
*Its content is written by the community. | *Its content is written by the community. | ||