Duplicates and Sources
FamilySearch should require checking for duplicates and listing sources for all entries. Checking for duplicates would would eliminate many duplicates entries, one of which may have less information. Listing sources would help patrons decide which of two entries is more valid. For example, if one source is someone's memory and another entry is a birth certificate, a patron could choose which entry to use.
Comments
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Is there some way that FS can assist us to prevent multiple duplicate entries? The problem comes when multiple people work on the same line and each person thinks their info is the most correct. E.g. my progenitor arrived in South Africa in the late 1700's, married here and produced 7 children according to archive records. However, so far there are 18 children listed for the couple, with five children born in 1812. ( Heinrich or Hendrik Christoffel Wilders, 1765, GD85-8WN
With the amazing technology that FS has produced for this work, isnt there a way to provide some kind of filter that would prevent duplications such as this?😩
Annette von Brughan, South Africa
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Annette
I am just another 'lowly' User/Patron ...
Just in passing ...
In the "Family Tree" Part, of 'FamilySearch' ...
'FamilySearch', ALREADY provides, an identification, of "Possible" DUPLICATES ...
[ Provided, that there is SUFFICENT "Detail", recorded against individuals/persons ... ]
The REAL Problem/Issue, is that TOO MANY Users/Patrons, WANT "Their" Record (ie. individual/person); and, ONLY "Their" instance of that Record (ie. individual/person), to be the "Retained".
And, that is DESPITE, the fact, an individual/person (ie. Record) ALREADY exists, in the "Family Tree" Part, of "FamilySearch", that has been there for MANY years; and, is well documented and "Sourced".
Unfortunately ...
That is 'Human Nature' ...
That is one the reasons, that DUPLICATES, are being "Produced"; even, Today ...
NO "System" (ie. Programme) can STOP that ...
You CANNOT, make a "System" FOOLPROOF; as, "Fools", are so INGENIOUS ...
[ They will ALWAYS, find a way ... ]
As an aside ...
There are ALREADY "Countless" DUPLICATES, in the "Family Tree" Part, of "FamilySearch", they were inherited from the predecessor of "Family Tree"; being, "New.FamilySearch"; and, ALL that was in place; BEFORE, "Computers".
It is our 'Task"; as, Users/Patrons, to "Find", and, "Merge"/"Combine", ALL the various DUPLICATES.
And, 'FamilySearch', HAS (already), given us the tools, to effect, such a "Task".
It is NOT the "Task", of 'FamilySearch', to be responsible, for "Finding", and, "Merging"/"Combining", ALL the various DUPLICATES - that, is what WE, have to DO (and, be responsible for).
It really is, a matter of 'knuckling down', to the "Task", at hand ...
It is as simple as that ...
I know, that this certainly does not help/assist; but, I hope, that this may provide you with, some additional, insight; and, perspective.
Brett
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Many of the duplicates that you may be seeing can go back decades as to their origin. (even before Current Familysearch even existed)
FamilySEarch Family Tree does have current processes in place - that are definitely not perfect - but do help people entering new data to see such duplicates that already exist.
watch this video for a good background of the source of these duplicates.
WHY ARE THERE SO MANY DUPLICATES
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