Would help with updating the Glossary be welcome?

Question

Hello,

the current G2G discussion on new rules for pre-1700 certification has started an interesting spin-off concerning the definition of certain terms (like "source" and "reliable") that are not currently included on the Glossary page. 

Help:Glossary (wikitree.com)

Proposal for Pre-1700 Certification and source-related help page changes - WikiTree G2G

My question is:

a) who manages the Glossary?

b) would suggestions be welcome? 

c) If so, how should suggestions be proposed and discussed? (I imagine someone could start an open space page as a draft, rather than working directly on the existing Glossary or starting a new G2G question for each term)

p.s. - please add any tags you think are appropriate, I'm not sure which apply.

p.p.s. (edited) - It might be worth considering including a clear recommendation to "newts" that they can find and should consult specific "sub-glossaries" as well as the main "Glossary" page. This one, created by Dieter a few years ago, is very helpful.

German-English Glossary (wikitree.com)

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Help:Glossary_Germany.

... and others have done similar work, as well. Here is one from Jelena. I wonder why I didn't yet know these resources existed, and whether there is any coordination, or is it something left to individuals to do "on their own"?

Glossary Portugal (wikitree.com)

I created a Glossary of Genealogical Terms for Portuguese - WikiTree G2G

Comments

Thanks for starting this, GM! I see that Ros has already answered the question you posed in the earlier thread.

Answer 1

"Help pages are primarily edited by Team Members."  The Glossary is a Help page.

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Help:Writing_Help_Pages

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Help:WikiTree_Team

Comments

OK, Ros, I'll take that as a friendly "look it up!"... Here's what I was able to derive from (re-)reading the pages to which you provided links:

"---

Step 1: Draft the Rule

If you'd like to see a change, start by drafting the style page or help page you'd like to see, or the change or addition you'd like to see made on an existing style page or help page.

You can do this on a free-space profile or in the G2G message described in step 2.

Even though this is a draft, try to write as if it's an existing rule that you're describing. Carefully explain to the reader how they should implement the rule. Link to related rules and explain how they relate to each other.

Put a notice at the top of the rule that makes clear it's a draft. Sign and date this comment (you can sign by entering four tildes, ~~~~). 

---"

Perhaps that is an answer to my question, but I'm really not sure. Would it be accurate to paraphrase the answer as follows? 

"Thanks for your interest and offer to help, but we're all really busy right now. If you think anything might be improved, your first step is to create a full-fledged alternative on your own, then post it as a proposal and wait for other, more experienced WikiTreers (ultimately 'the Team') to point out (inevitable) errors and (previously discussed and decided) points of policy and preference in G2G." 

I may be naive, but I had hoped that there might be one or more other WikiTreers who would be interested enough in the topic to work together on that sort of a draft - ideally including at least some of the more experienced WikiTreers who might be aware of pitfalls which should be avoided. 

I definitely do NOT feel that I can (or should) try to create a new Glossary page "as a draft" and then post it as a proposal. So I guess I'll just wait until someone from "'the team' decides to update the official Help: page.

Answer 2

GM - There are also "space-page" glossaries. They should be included in the category:

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Category:Glossaries

I say "should" not "are" because the creator of a glossary needs to add the category manually (I just added the category to the German-English Glossary you mentioned).

Comments

Hi Liz,

thanks for pointing that out (and for adding the category to Dieter's German-English glossary. Perhaps adding open space page glossaries makes sense for many things. I thought it might also be a way for those of us who are interested in collaborating on a draft to work together - assuming someone would start a page and be willing and able to add others to its trusted list.

Any "open space page" would clearly be less "official" than a page in the Help: namespace - which must ultimately be updated and approved by 'the WikiTeam'. So if the purpose were to have an updated "official" glossary where (new) users can quickly and easily find authoritative "community consensus WikiTree definitions" for terms such as "source" and "reliable", which I thought it was, then it wouldn't make sense to go too far along that path without knowing that such preparatory work by non "Team" members would be welcome. Hence my initial question...