Need Help Center Article: Common FamilySearch Myths
Could a help center article be developed based on submissions here of common myths and misunderstandings in regards to Family Tree? Not about genealogy in general, just about the workings of Family Tree. Then there would be somewhere official that people can be pointed to when the myths get brought up.
Here are some examples I think should be included:
1) Everyone listed in a FamilySearch historical record is dead and can be listed as Deceased in Family Tree. (Thanks to @dontiknowyou for posting about this one.)
2) ID numbers have hidden meanings and it is necessary to preserve the "right" one when merging.
3) Place names must look identical to their standard equivalent, that is, have a map pin.
Having brief explanations of why these are not true could potentially cut down on recurring arguments among users.
I invite everyone that know of more myths to post them here to help in the development of and show the need for such an article.
Comments
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You forgot the biggest one: "it's my tree".
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3) Place names must look identical to their standard equivalent, that is, have a map pin.
Apart from the prescriptive word must I do not believe this is a myth. At this time I believe it is a matter of personal preference. Also, I notice that Residence events without the map pin are not displayed on the Timeline and Map. There are additional reasons why I personally choose spend the time to set that map pin.
Considering that help pages should be descriptive not prescriptive, this item needs careful wording.
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Also, "only direct descendants can edit".
Which reminds me: On the Find results page the word Ancestor needs to go.
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@dontiknowyou, "only places with map pins are shown on the timeline map" is also a myth.
Only standardized places are shown on the map.
Things can be fully and correctly standardized without showing the pin. Switching interface languages can be enough to remove the map pin icon, so it makes absolutely no sense for the timeline map to depend on them in any way.
(Dunno why her death place doesn't have a pin, but it doesn't, and yet there it is on both the timeline and the map, just like her husband's death place, with pin.)
I think the meaning of that dratted map pin is basically generally completely unknown; everything that people attribute to it is false. Getting rid of it in the new interface was an excellent move, but the lingering myths need to be quashed, so it definitely needs to be addressed: number two, right after "my tree" for number one.
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Things can be fully and correctly standardized without showing the pin. Switching interface languages can be enough to remove the map pin icon, so it makes absolutely no sense for the timeline map to depend on them in any way.
True. That's an inconsistency introduced by the user interface language localization. I wish the map pins were shown across all language platforms, not omitted, because the omission causes much confusion and wasted effort.
Getting rid of it in the new interface was an excellent move
Not sure I agree. But more importantly, is it gone for good or just getting a makeover? Time will tell. This map pin in the Details page is a point (detail? argh!) on which the mobile app behavior has been different. Battling business units, yay.
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