* Tech Mistakes to Avoid

[DavidNewton]

I picked up the following blog link

https://familysearch.org/blog/en/undo-2 ... kes-avoid/

from the RootsTech 2016 Conference Blog Compendium on this site

http://www.geneamusings.com/

I thought some of the suggestions in it might spark a discussion. I should note that neither blog includes the full text of the original presentation.

David

[tatewise]

Josh Taylor says: It is a mistake to have “one big file” because the file can become unmanageable.

Which is the opposite to advice we give here, because FH is so good at managing large databases.
Maybe Josh has not used FH?

[davidm_uk]

FH is good at managing large databases but are we?

If I'm working on a bit of my tree to try and resolve problems (people who may or may not be the correct ones, conflicting source information, or just unclear relationships) I'll often create an extract of that part of my main project to capture all of the information and then try and make sense of it. Once I've done that, and if I think it's correct, I'll manually copy the relevant information into my main tree (I've more or less given up with trying to merge trees, I spend more time trying to sort out the mess I've made than the time it takes to add the data manually).

I still keep a full backup of that part tree, in case I need to go back to it, or just to remind myself of how I reached my conclusion.

If you've entered a lot of incorrect information (people, sources, media, places) it can be a nightmare trying to find it all in a big tree, and then removing it cleanly.

At least FH is so flexible it allows you choose how you go about things in a way that suits you.

[tatewise]

David, in principal that is still one large master database Project.
Josh is talking about permanently splitting up into multiple Projects.

[AnneEast]

I do a lot of lookups for people at my local archives. I create extra projects for them because they are nothing whatever to do with my family. I have two One Name studies in separate projects. I also find it better for me to have my and my OH in separate projects, the only common place is me, OH and our children. Its just the way I work!
Anne

[davidm_uk]

David, in principal that is still one large master database Project.

I was just trying to get a point across.

In practice, a bit like Anne, I have a separate tree for my daughter-in-law, with the only common points being her, my son and their daughter.

Well that was until I discovered a few days after they married that they were related - fourth cousins twice removed, she was mortified!! So there's now another intercept between the trees.

[tatewise]

I have lost count of how many times similar stories about distant relationships have been reported in these forums, and supports the benefits of one large Project over multiple separate Projects for people who are related.

Clearly, it makes sense to have separate Projects for totally unrelated groups of people who are nothing to do with your family.

Also FH supports whatever Project organisation you prefer, and lets you change your mind later.