Do one-name study leaders prefer that we toggle the WBE for auto biography NOT to add stickers to surnames?

Question

I am finding that the WBE auto bio feature is adding one name study stickers to most all surnames. Is this helpful to members and project leaders? Seems like it would cause a lot of congestion and confusion for those doing the actual research? Thoughts?

Comments

I think it's only adding stickers to surnames with a One Name Study category.  There have been cases where the category was made but the stuff that the ONS project leaders need to do was not done for one reason or another.  Whatever it is that they do connects the category to their project page. In some cases, it seems that this hasn't happened, so the resulting sticker comes up red.  There's not a lot I can do about that, I think.

See my answer further down for more information about the situation.

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After coming back and reading everyone's comments, I am so glad I asked this question! I also love that there is no "Right or Wrong" answer. No definitive answer creates a wonderful collaboration environment for all of us. Thank you for your thoughts and sharing your preferences on the topic. I believe my response to this issue, from now on, will be to leave the toggle "ON" and use personal discretion for each profile the ONS sticker is automatically added to.

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I haven't used auto-bio in browser extensions (WBE), so I didn't even know this could occur. Or that Ian has a list where you can opt in or out. This is good stuff to know.

For my two cents, the names in my studies are rather rare names, so it's not a deal breaker either way for me.

Answer 1

I'd prefer a sticker wasn't added automatically. I apply the ONS sticker to profiles that are a focus or prominent for various reasons. (not to all people with that name)

Comments

Presently that is what I am doing too. I add the sticker myself not automatically

Answer 2

Unfortunately, there will not be a one-size fits all answer to this.

It is important for members to understand that even the base usage of the ONS sticker will add an ONS category to the profile, and this could be detrimental to an study if the ONS Coordinator is not aware of the addition.

For example:

1. An ONS that uses a highly customized category structure to document their research might not be affected by this addition of a sticker, and may actually encourage its base usage. This would put profiles into a the high-level <NAME> Name Study category and give the ONS Coordinator a place to start their research, moving profiles to the proper categories after the research and documentation is complete for that profile.
2. At the same time, an ONS that simply uses the base <NAME> Name Study category as its collection point could see detrimental affects if members are are adding to the category without communication.

My personal feeling on this is that WBE should not be adding ONS stickers to any profile without first having explicit consent of the ONS Coordinator(s). Since this would be nearly impossible to accomplish, it should not be a globally added feature where ONSs Coordinators are then expected to "opt-out", since the damage is already being done to those studies.

Whenever I see an ONS Sticker added to a profile that puts them in the ONS Category I manage, I go through and remove it until I am ready to do the research and documentation. It is an extra step I have to perform and is frankly kind of annoying and adds to the already complicated work of running and ONS.

Answer 3

I'd prefer the sticker not be added automatically by WBE.

Answer 4

I am not involved with a One Name Study, but I do manage profiles where one name study stickers have been added in the past.

I have often removed them after looking for a ONS and finding that it has has not been worked on for an extensive period of time or sometimes is for a very common name and seems like an impossible task.

Answer 5

I consulted with a leader of the One Name Studies project on this before implementing it.  My thinking was that people spend their time adding the sticker to many profiles, so let's help them out.  One person asked me not to include the name studies that he runs, and I excluded them.  

I'll do whatever the majority think is best.  I can switch it off by default.  I can ask for more One Name Studies leaders to let me know that they would not want their stickers to be added.  I can remove the ONS stickers completely from the Auto Bio, but it seems like a shame...  

And you have to remember that the responses on this thread will not necessarily match the wishes of most One Name Studies leaders/managers.    

I'll be in touch again with the leaders of the One Name Studies project for their advice.

Comments

Please turn off the auto-stickers for Slade, French, and Welch.

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It would be helpful if the ONS Leaders contacted the ONS projects about it. Many might want it but many won't. Then there are the PMs who object to having the sticker added.

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I hardly ever use Auto Bio, so...

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But others do. I think that's part of the issue, if people are added to your ONS and you don't know about it. For me, it's what I want.

This should be described in the ONS sign-up process.

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If and when I would use Auto Bio, would it not provide an opportunity to read what is added, including stickers and categories?!

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Porter: Yes, of course.

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Please turn off auto stickers for Rowland

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Here's a question: Is it possible to have the app decide whether to add the sticker or not, on the basis of set conditions? In the case of my One Name Studies, I do want the sticker added, but only to those profiles which are the oldest person in a given line (in other words, the ancestor of all the others in that line).
Then have the ONS managers mark in the spreadsheet (if they can access it) the code you set for each condition a ONS manager has asked you to define. So, for ONSes like mine, the code might be, say, TOLO: Top Of Lines Only.

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It appears that movement towards off as the default has already been made.

Nevertheless, it seems, however, that it should be on, with the utility of Opt Out exlusion additions; because with each Auto Bio addition, the profile manager can just take the sticker/ONS categorization code out if they don't want it. Using Auto Bio does and should not relieve a profile manager of the duty to review the default narrative, sticker and categorization that Auto Bio is adding.

That's just my opinion with the caveat that I am not a routine user of Auto Bio. I do have one ONS that I manage, however, and two ONSs to which I pay close attention to and might want to pull down an Auto Bio for the added value of not having to look up the sticker and categorization code when I would need it for a ONS placement.

Does that make sense?

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TOLO is a great strategy, by the way. Another that I use is the TOLO, but with a traced descent between the oldest known ancestor through to descendants (to a desired break point that can be variable) who end up with a change in the surname in the instance where an illegitimate or unmarried parent has children that would have carried the surname had a marriage occurred.

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Opt-out is usually a bad strategy. Opt-in works better since there are no surprises. Most current ONS managers won't know what is happening. You would be surprised how little people actually check what the tools do.

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Maybe the best thing is leaving the ONS stickers on by default but only adding them if the surname has been added to my list (see the Google Doc).

Greg: Yes, I'm sure the stickers could be added only if the person has no father (making them top of the line).

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Usually, perhaps, but what is the number of WikiTree users who have one or more ONS? And how many users rely on Auto Bio; the intersection of who use both; and the likelihood that users could actually forget whether a specific candidate ONS on whose profile they are working needs an opt in or an opt out?

Would it not be possible that a 100% match on a ONS -eligible triggering the coding application could apply stickers and categorization relating to a ONS match could in fact give notice in the generated Auto Bio that a decision needs to be made in real-time whether the user wants to opt in, per profile? This should increase engagement.

I assume ONS instruction amendments for the functionality of stickers and categorization is going to have to be amended, either way, and this is kind of a pivotal point: so is the standard going to be more effective for re-education of both Auto Bio users and ONS users going forward, once concensus is reached?

A per-profile opt in decision, based on matching doesn't seem onerous (coding-wise or user-wise) or likely a cause for frustration: making the decision on the fly, by flagging the presumptive eligible ONS match on the surname may in fact engage the user to more carefully consider which profiles they want added to their ONS.

Hopefully, I am not getting into the weeds here and am understanding the extent of the functioning of the code triggers and possible actions.

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Ian has a document that managers of the ONS can use to set the opt-in/opt-out value for new profiles of that surname. As long as the ONS managers know about this (I didn't until this thread), I think that's the best way to go. It's best to leave this up to the managers to set this option, not up to individuals adding the profile who may or may not know anything about the ONS.

Answer 6

Definitely prefer it to not add stickers, as WBE does not know the scope of the ONS. E.g. most of the Little ONSs are pre-1851/1855.

I am even reluctant to use ONS categories unless the parish category  is overloaded. Separating out some names from a category makes matching and research harder.

Answer 7

My preference would not add them for my one name studies as I tend use them for interesting profiles, oldest profiles on some lines that are not connected to the main branch of the surname. Having every person added would make the sticker meaningless for my one name studies.

Answer 8

I prefer for it to be added. This is true for our study, but also if I add a last name where a ONS exists I want the sticker to be added automatically by WBE. i can then highlight the new profile to the study leader. Otherwise I am no noticing that there is a study and I cannot collaborate.

Thanks for asking the question. I appreciate their might be different views by different people on this question.

Answer 9

I would prefer that the sticker not be added automatically for the same reasons others don't want it. It can complicate the studies.

Answer 10

To add to my previous answer...

Many people have asked for their stickers to be added by Auto Bio by adding their surnames to this one name studies Google Doc.  If anyone else wants to make sure that their ONS stickers are added with Auto Bio, please add details here.  It might be a good idea for anyone else who doesn't want their surnames included in this to add their names to the bottom of the list with an 'XX' in the appropriate column.  There are currently some at the bottom of the list with an X.  This is to add name variants for a surname for a One Name Trees app I'm working on. (The X tells me that they're not actual one name studies.)  I'm happy to have an XX mean that they are one name studies, but you want them excluded from Auto Bio.  

Comments

I'm sorry, Ian. I can't edit that file, because I can't sign in to Google Docs. Google locked my account years ago, and won't talk to me about why. But I would appreciate it if you could add French, Slade, and Welch to the bottom of the list with XX on each.

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I added those to the exclusion list when you mentioned it elsewhere on this page.  This will be in the next update.

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Ian

Please add Little ONS as an opt out (XX) please. I cannot figure out how to add an extra row to the table from Firefox on an iPhone.

Chris Little-4631

Answer 11

I like that the sticker is added, I want all of the surname profiles on WikiTree included in my study. When I look at the category for locations, it can help piece families together.

Answer 12

I prefer to have all profiles with LNAB Ostermann added to the ONS project which I coordinate. Alas!, I also cannot access the Google doc to record my preferences.

Further question: What about name variants? I also include e.g. LNAB Osterman and Oosterman. However, I guess that WBE auto bio would not add the profiles to Ostermann but to the exact spelling of these LNAB for which no separate ONS exists. Will the algorithm be able to cater for that?

Comments

Did you look at the Google Doc? Ostermann is there with the name variants and these have been added to the Auto Bio. 

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Thanks for confirming!

As I wrote, I cannot access Google docs ... health reasons, it's complicated ... sorry!

Answer 13

I'm the Morse One Name Study leader.

I love that One Name Studies can be automatically added!!!

Answer 14

I agree with those who do not want Stickers to add other functionality to a profile.

If we want to use a Template to add functionality, we should create a new Template type to do so.

Answer 15

I brought up this issue before, but I think people didn't understand what I was asking.  I do not want the ONS sticker added automatically for the Merritt name study. In the past, I thought the sticker was not meant to be added to every profile, but only to certain ones chosen by the individual study. I don't see the need to put every single person with a certain surname into the generic ONS category. The individual surname pages already do a good job of keeping track of all the profiles that exist for a certain surname.  The more specific categories that you can use for a ONS, like those with the surname living in a certain location, are great for organizing and sorting all the names that are the focus of the study.  I always delete the ONS sticker when using the Autobio because I don't know what others preferences are. Just think of how many people are added automatically to really common surnames everyday when the Autobio is used!

Answer 16

I have brought up this issue many times in the past of questioning the purpose of adding a ONS sticker (and hence, category) to every profile with the same surname.

If one wants to see everyone with the same surname, you do NOT have to create a category for it and place everyone in it. All you have to do is to go the surname table itself and you can see everyone there with the same surname.

Based on that idea alone, the ONS sticker should NOT be automatically added to any profile with the same surname.

Going beyond this, every One Name Study will want to define the scope of their study, and the methods they want to use to support their research. Some people will want and need to put everyone with the surname in a category, but in a category that has location information. Other people, like myself, are only interested in using the sticker for those people who are currently unconnected to the main family / families, and for those at the top of those families (progenitors).

The point is that there is no "one size fits all" answer. And if there is "no one size fits all", then the sticker SHOULD NOT be automatically placed on the profile. I know that Ian is trying to bend over backwards by providing some spreadsheet to include or exclude surnames. But even that requires additional steps, for an optional browser extension that not everyone uses (or should need to use). In the end, any additional feature (like auto adding a sticker) SHOULD BE OPT-IN and NOT OPT-OUT.

Answer 17

I've made changes to Auto Bio in WBE Preview.  Only names added to the Google Sheet will get stickers.  If you want your name stickers added with a 'Top Of Line Only' condition (see Greg Slade's request above), please add the names to the Google Sheet with TOLO in the Notes column.

I hope everyone's happy.