On Thu, 8 May 2008 22:47:31 -0700 (PDT), Daniel Morgan
<daniel.f.morgan@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
>On May 9, 12:02 am, Steve Hayes <hayesm...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
>> On Thu, 8 May 2008 12:53:23 -0700 (PDT), Daniel Morgan
>>
>> <daniel.f.mor...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
>> >Has anyone used a wiki for a group transcription or indexing project?
>> >It seems to me that might be another good genealogical application,
>> >especially when working from scanned images. Easy for checkers to
>> >correct transcription errors. A ready-built mechanism for discussion
>> >of uncertain transcriptions. Partial results available in real time
>> >starting on day one. Automatically full-text searchable.
>>
>> I have my doubts about that.
>>
>> Indexing, especially, should be done in a database, and transcribing
full
>> records of things like registers should probably use a database too. In
a wiki
>> links have to be put in by hand.
>
>Fair point. But in principle I see no reason why a wiki needs to be a
>flat webpage rather than a database. Does such software exist?
>Google spreadsheets, for example, can be edited by multiple people,
>even simultaneously. The owner of each file has to specify who else
>can edit it, and I don't think one can specify "everyone" as in a
>wiki, but presumably removing this restriction would be trivial if
>Google wanted to. A spreadsheet isn't a database, but sorting or
>filtering by columns is part of the way there, and people often use a
>spreadsheet for transcribing, even if the result ends up merged into a
>more powerful database eventually.
That might be a better option for transcription of regularly formatted
records
-- though a spreadsheet is not a database, it cvan be made to serve as a
simple one, and is OK for initial entry.
A wiki, however, can be good for collecting information in a lot of
different
formats -- one could post a will, for example, a letter or summary of one,
a
memoir, an obituary. Biographies of ancestors with many people
contributing
could build up a fuller picture, and each page allows for critical
discussion
of the content.
--
Steve Hayes
E-mail: hayesmstw@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
(see web page if it doesn't work)
Web: http://hayesfam.bravehost.com/famhist1.htm
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/7783/
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