Another howler from Ancestry

[Nick29]

Anyone (whether an Ancestry member or not) can volunteer for the WAP.  And if you think transcribing is easy, then feel free to volunteer ! 
http://community.ancestry.co.uk/wap/dashboard.aspx

Where did I say that I thought transcribing was easy?

I said IF

[CarolA3]

Ancestry have used American geological societies in the past for their census transcriptions

So are they set in stone then 

[stonechat]

 

[Nick29]

Oh yes, very droll.  Criticising people's spelling is the lowest form of wit on internet forums, and won't win you any friends 

[JenB]

Oh yes, very droll. Criticising people's spelling is the lowest form of wit on internet forums, and won't win you any friends

I don't think any criticism was implied. Perhaps a grinning smiley should have been added to show it was a joke?

[Nick29]

Making jokes out of other people's spelling mistakes and typos is not funny at all.   

In fact, it goes against 'netiquette'.

"Messages and articles should be brief and to the point.  Don't
      wander off-topic, don't ramble and don't send mail or post
      messages solely to point out other people's errors in typing
      or spelling.  These, more than any other behavior, mark you
      as an immature beginner."


Internet 'netiquette', drawn up in 1995

Of course the real joke is that this thread is about someone's intolerence of someone else's mistakes !

[rachelralph]

i watched a news article the other week about inmates in jail, actually learning basic computer skills by transcribing old documments and learning to put them to PC. i have no idea what documnets they were as the news piece was about re training convicts rather than what they were transcrbing but to me it sounds like a good idea.

[Nick29]

Getting back on topic, it seems to me that the best transcriptions are always going to be from people who are interested in the subject ?   Ancestry have used a variety of sources for their transcriptions, including genealogist societies, and volunteers in the WAP project.  Another popular site, The Genealogist, has a limited number of census returns which have been transcribed by volunteers, allegedly with a better accuracy.  Find My Past appear to use their own transcribers, but they appear to be a little cagey over who they are.

To be honest, I have a lot more problems with mistakes made by enumerators than with mistakes made by transcribers 

[CarolA3]

Of course the real joke is that this thread is about someone's intolerence of someone else's mistakes !

Precisely!

Sorry Nick, no criticism was intended but I couldn't resist the irony.  My post was meant to be read in the spirit of 'The Lighter Side' - JenB makes a good point though, and I'll make better use of smileys in future.

Carol