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Should Lineascope import GEDCOM data?
You've got people, sources, and conclusions in ordinary genealogy software. You don't have lines of evidence—extracted information, evidence, proof statements and quality categorization for each like you will in Lineascope™. So, what do you want to import?
Sources linked to events and characteristics? Okay, that could be made to work. Let's think through what we would end up with if we did that. Say for example you've got 1000 sources for 500 people and you imported that into Lineascope™. You'd have a database of 500 people and 1000 sources linked to the respective people's events and characteristics. You wouldn't have the conclusions because you don't have entire lines of evidence and proof statements. You wouldn't have the extracted information, evidence, nor quality categorization. So you'd have a place to start building all that and you wouldn't have to enter the source, people, and events by hand. I can see how that would be somewhat helpful and I see how it could be a problem.
It could be a problem because it could be overwhelming; I would be overwhelmed. To think of entering all the line of evidence data for all the events and characteristics I have in my genealogy database is daunting! So much so that I expect that most genealogists faced with that proposition would just rationalize continuing to capture only the start and end of their research instead of taking it to the next level by using Lineascope™. I think we'll each be more successful by beginning to use Lineascope™ on our research from this point forward or to start entering past research a little at a time.
Tell me, should I add the ability to import sources and have that create people and events? Do you have a better idea? Is my thinking on this matter flawed in some way? What do you think?
Sources linked to events and characteristics? Okay, that could be made to work. Let's think through what we would end up with if we did that. Say for example you've got 1000 sources for 500 people and you imported that into Lineascope™. You'd have a database of 500 people and 1000 sources linked to the respective people's events and characteristics. You wouldn't have the conclusions because you don't have entire lines of evidence and proof statements. You wouldn't have the extracted information, evidence, nor quality categorization. So you'd have a place to start building all that and you wouldn't have to enter the source, people, and events by hand. I can see how that would be somewhat helpful and I see how it could be a problem.
It could be a problem because it could be overwhelming; I would be overwhelmed. To think of entering all the line of evidence data for all the events and characteristics I have in my genealogy database is daunting! So much so that I expect that most genealogists faced with that proposition would just rationalize continuing to capture only the start and end of their research instead of taking it to the next level by using Lineascope™. I think we'll each be more successful by beginning to use Lineascope™ on our research from this point forward or to start entering past research a little at a time.
Tell me, should I add the ability to import sources and have that create people and events? Do you have a better idea? Is my thinking on this matter flawed in some way? What do you think?
Views: 46
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Jimmy Townsend on
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Hello Ben,
I have databases on Ancestry.com and I have databases within my Reunion software that have hard evidence of events in a persons life.
To not use that information to populate Lineascope would be a tragedy. Even if Lineascope was utilized to only import the subjects would be of the utmost advantage.
I work in an environment where I use descriptions created by categories and classes of commodities and add the necessary attributes to describe same. That information is populated in a spreadsheet and up loaded to the master catalog.
Without a vehicle to import existing information I will probably not start another effort to populate a stand alone effort.
Just my thoughts.
Jim Townsend -
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Permalink Reply by Ben Sayer on
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Thanks for that feedback, Jim.
Would it help to be able to import the information, evidence, proof, and quality information from a CSV file?
—Ben
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Your thinking isn't flawed. There's no need for another database full of people and events and I, like you, can't imagine establishing a line of evidence for every individual, much less event in a large gedcom file. And heretical as it may be, I don't care about lines of evidence and proof statements for every collateral relative in my files. It's not going to be a vehicle for those of us with established databases. But I can see enormous value in using it to counter faulty data floating about the internet. From that perspective it could be helpful to import individuals and then build an evidence line, etc.
In terms of future research, would it be possible to download from Lineascope to a gedcom that could be imported into one's own software program? I can imagine tiring very quickly of entering data here and then reentering the events and sources in my own program. I'm more likely to revert to my program's defaults and skimp on the conclusions, lazy soul that I am. If I can start here and then move easily to my own software I am far likelier to use it. And I want to. It's such a wonderful idea. -
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Thanks for that feedback. I know what I have in mind for how Lineascope will be used. I also know that people will use it differently—ways I can't currently imagine. So knowing what you think is very helpful. Many heads are better than one.
I'm with you on the need for export functionality. GEDCOM export of the sources and conclusions is on the todo list. -
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