concerns: Andreas Driess
Dear Jef,
|Geni is a project where multiple users are building towards the goal of a world family tree. The users differ between incidental, experienced and historically knowledgeable. In Geni, therefore, constructions can arise that are impossible; by merging or alternative constructions. Because Geni is a Wiki method, the participants are responsible through mutual consultation and evidence for the most accurate family construction, with original evidence in the form of legal contracts where possible. Name variations may occur depending on time and place. Alternative family relationships may arise.
In 1794, Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte in Europe required a family name for civil administration, in the other parts of the world origin consisted of a list of ancestor names that changed per generation. Names for 1794 are ambiguous and variable. The current Geni construction by Andries Dressen is based on several conflicting insertions from users, which necessitated a revision of the structure (not all from Andries, but a very wide selection from different families). This family tree construction has been revised with Andreas Volck's family construction Andreas Volck (see link in profile). 18 other co-users are involved in this.
Proper construction depends on legal or historical evidence, and that is hard to come by in these distant times.
Perhaps I should also make it clear to you that Geni is more than an individual family tree construction. Geni is a digital amalgamation of individual (website) family constructions, which can also cause inconsistencies. But that's not a problem because Geni also offers everything to solve that together. The aim is of course to provide evidence for data and relationships, but that could be controversial in the distant past. So data exchange and reasoning methods are essential. Geni is the renewed phase in the evolution of genealogy, which includes mutual coordination. A hypothetical construction can help here. Anyway, there are always others who handle a different truth of reality. Please also explain your own vision/construction in the profile of the family member involved (or very distant relative, because for Geni we are all related).
Because Geni strives for a World Family Tree, construction conflicts regularly arise in ancient times. This can have various causes: mistaken identity, incorrect family relationships with similar names, differences in location between similarly named persons, confusion of similarly named father-son-grandson, missing sources, different reasoning/determination in construction. As Geni users, we will look for solutions together, knowing that there are enormous differences in expertise between users. First, show respect to others.
Through my extensive family tree I come into contact with all kinds of diverse families, of which I can also find primary and/or secondary information (primary deeds are the basis for me). However, basic data for 1800 cannot be proven for me and I use existing constructions that have some reliability and are connected. In Geni, these can come into conflict, which cannot always be resolved. Geni is a Wiki, which gives other users the freedom to add to, modify or change the construction. I leave constructions that already exist in place, and look for other sources for conflicts.
Your reference to a website link is outside my area of interest.
Sincerely,
Alex