Something missing from the Space page about Wikidata, since it's the destination from the Help Index...

Question

What I didn't find on the page that is the destination from the Help Index is a discussion about who on WikiTree should be aware of and/or working with Wikidata.

I know very little about Wikidata (even being the geek that I am), and the discussion on the page was too technical for what I wanted to know. I'm a genealogist whose watchlist is 99.5% ordinary people who were born, lived, & died without appearing on the public radar, and who are mostly of interest only to other family members. Should I even care about Wikidata, and if so, why?

I've seen the G2G discussions about Wikidata & db_errors (since I'm a Data Doctor), and I just keep getting confused -- that's why I'm saying the Help page didn't HELP! One of the G2G discussions included someone talking about creating a Wikidata entry for an immediate family member... I don't see any reason why I should start creating info for another web site when I already have more to do on WikiTree than I can finish properly in several years!

Please create a Help page that discusses only how Wikidata can or should relate to WikiTree in general, and only include a link to the Space page. The Help page should address:

• which types of WikiTree profiles should (or already might) have info on Wikidata;
• how to find out if a WikiTree profile is for someone who already has info on Wikidata;
• whether Wikidata should be referenced as a source on WikiTree directly, or if the source of the Wikidata should or can be cited as a WikiTree source (in general only, with perhaps a more detailed discussion on the Space page);
• refer to the Space page about Wikidata to find out how and/or when to link a WikiTree profile to Wikidata.

Then alter the Space page on Wikidata to make it easier to find out how to accomplish that last item. I assume the info is there, but I couldn't decipher it... or I totally misunderstood how the two databases are related / connected / linked... And if I did misunderstand, could you add that to the list of what should be addressed on the Help page?

Thanks!

Comments

https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Wikidata:Notability

 

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Thanks, RJ, that does help explain. That link should be on the Help page.

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I updated the Space page 

Who can be on Wikidata?

Wikidata is connected to Wikipedia so a person on Wikipedia is always also on Wikidata see also Wikidata:Notability.

 

Wikidata is connected to Wikipedia so a person on Wikipedia is always also on Wikidata see also Wikidata:Notability.

Answer 1

Hi Kitty,

Bad as this may sound, I removed Space:Wikidata from the Help Index without reading it.

The help index should really only contain links to officially-supported rules and policies. Free-space profiles can be created and edited by anyone. Official rules and policies are put in the "main" namespace.

I don't believe any rules or policies regarding Wikidata have gone through the https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Developing_New_Rules process.

I did propose a policy on external links some time ago but it didn't get much support. Someone needs to return to this.

Chris

Comments

Maybe its better that Wikidata links to WikiTree only.... then WikiTree has no problems... that is the same approach as FindAgrave has that has no external links at all... then the WikiTree external link policy would be rather easy....

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Chris, it doesn't sound bad at all, given your explanation. But shouldn't there be a Help page that includes my points as listed above? (How to find the relevant info, etc.) That page could then include a link to the Space page... That's what I was proposing. Does that make sense?

Answer 2

Is Wikidata a source or not

Its never a source but it can have links to primary sources or give hints that is good for genealogy. So I try to put this information in a section Sources/See also

I would say this is standard genealogy and need not to be on the help page should be more on a WikiTree page about sourcing or reference the GPS standard: Analysis and Correlation of the Collected Information

Comments

Magnus, all good points that speak to how to use Wikidata. My point is that this info should be on the Help page where it can be easily found, not just in a G2G discussion.

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I have uppdated the Space page....And Done 2 videos

Answer 3

How to find out if a WikiTree profile is for someone who already has info on Wikidata

Its a little bit technical so I did this video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6T89YoRGwt0

Comments

Another example of connecting

• WikiTree Robertson-6139
• Wikipedia Harry Robertson_(musician)
• Wikidata Q1586745
• Spotify Artist 6dRxtqd1huj4O3rKX4FWJp

see video  and now Harry Robbertson should be in the Spotify generated timeline based on Wikidata

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Magnus,

Does Spotify get the play list for an album/discography for artists. I was looking for a bio when I first clicked there but this artist does not have one there, but his album Hawk the Slayer does have WIkidata content. You might want to consider calling out the data that it gets from wikidata and if it also gets the bio, include a link to an artist with a biography on the Spotify profile. By the way nice music Thanks for the introduction.

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@Marty I dont follow you...

• Hawk_the_Slayer the movie is Wikidata Q5684873
• what did you look after?
  • If we check IMDB tt0080846
    • The soundtrack page is empty
      • BUT if search on Spotify it looks like this is the soundtrack written by Harry Robertson ==> that is Wikidata Q1586745 linked to WIkiTree Robertson-6139 so now it should be seen

 

 

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Magnus, Thanks for the clarification. That really is the artist page,  I was expecting a Biography menu tab on the Spotify page for Harry Robertson and was thinking it was fed from wikidata. I think I had this reversed. Wikidata just serves a repository of information about a particular item. if there is no biography, Spotify did not put one in there. Suspect it might be that Rovi does not have a biography for him as that appears to be where they source their bios from (at least some of them).

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I guess Spotify doesn't understand that they can use Wikidata. I sometimes visit them in Stockholm and will tell them about the possibilities..... I feel sometime when you listen to music its interesting to learn more or listen to other people in the same genre....

Feels Spotify has an enormous amount of interesting recordings that I as a listener never find and when I look at my son and girlfriend they use Spotify and most listen to the "same" music....

• Video https://youtu.be/nmOm0YRVn2A
• Search on people in a cemetery with Spotify Artist ID
  • Displaying the gravestones
  • Picture of artists