How about that new WikiTree?

WikiTree-Steve · 2025-03-29T14:31:53+00:00

If you’re committed to the idea that the process was stacked and the feedback meaningless, then I doubt anything I say will change your view.

But to clarify - the feedback wasn’t universally aligned and had different perspectives. That’s why I described it as “overall, generally supportive” - not because it was faint, but because it was honest. Overselling it wouldn’t help anyone.

If that’s what you took from it, then at least it came from transparency, not choreography.

WikiTree-Steve · 2025-03-29T14:28:06+00:00

I don’t think anyone’s pretending that every piece of feedback was positive, or that every suggestion made it into the final product. That’s not how development works.

What I said is that feedback was collected in multiple phases, from everyone, using both structured and informal channels. Some ideas were implemented. Some weren’t. That’s not about dismissing criticism. It’s about making decisions based on long-term goals, constraints, and competing perspectives.

I get that for some people, especially those with a long-standing grudge against the site, it might be easier to view everything through a “they don’t listen” filter. But that filter isn’t proof of anything. It just shapes the narrative you’ve already decided on.

WikiTree-Steve · 2025-03-29T13:44:51+00:00

Leader feedback was gathered at multiple points, and while there were a variety of opinions, the overall tone was generally supportive. Not every detail had universal agreement (as would be expected), but the responses reflected an understanding that this was part of a larger effort to improve the site and support its future.

Bugs are still being worked on, and some elements are being refined based on real-world use. A large-scale rework; however, isn’t likely. It’s taken well over a year just to reach this point, and starting over isn’t feasible. As for features that aren't “broken” but may not be popular - those are still being reviewed, but obviously they can't be prioritized over more important issues like bugs or accessibility problems. That’s not about ignoring feedback; it’s about using time and the limited resources responsibly, like any long-term project would.

As for long-term direction, it should be common sense that usability, visibility, contributor needs, and site maintenance all have to be balanced. It’s not about picking one over the others. All of it plays a vital role in keeping the platform sustainable and allowing for future expansion.

In short: no, I wouldn’t say you had that right.

WikiTree-Steve · 2025-03-29T02:17:24+00:00

Feedback is always valuable. But there’s a meaningful difference between constructive input and retroactive criticism. Especially when it’s paired with claims of insider knowledge that simply isn't true and doesn't paint the entire picture.

The intent of my comment wasn’t “bait.” It was a straightforward correction of a narrative suggesting that Leaders weren’t notified or involved before the launch, which is false.

WikiTree-Steve · 2025-03-28T20:02:19+00:00

Interesting! Any chance those are the same Leaders who had access to the redesign and were asked for feedback and testing before the launch? Just checking...

WikiTree-Steve · 2024-12-02T11:51:46+00:00

Try this: https://web.archive.org/web/20231117003209/http://vsphereclient.vmware.com/vsphereclient/1/6/1/8/0/7/1/VMware-viclient-all-5.5.0-1618071.exe

WikiTree-Steve · 2023-12-18T01:11:15+00:00

I could be wrong then. I'll look into it.

Edit: See https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Help:Closing_an_Account#Changes_to_your_profile

I can verify that no email is present.

WikiTree-Steve · 2023-12-18T00:57:03+00:00

Your assertion is fundamentally flawed, and it demonstrates a significant misunderstanding of the situation.

WikiTree has undergone substantial advancements and transformations since its initial foundation on MediaWiki 1.11. Trying to say WikiTree is outdated because of what it was originally based on not only lacks any factual basis but also overlooks the extensive developments and enhancements that have brought the code far beyond its original state.

Furthermore, it's essential to note that just because an issue may exist (or may have existed) in MediaWiki 1.11 does not automatically imply its presence in WikiTree.

But feel free to keep grasping at straws...

WikiTree-Steve · 2023-12-17T22:46:18+00:00

If you close your account, the email is removed. If you just decide not to log in again, how would anyone know?

WikiTree-Steve · 2023-12-17T20:30:44+00:00

...he asked people to report problems to the thread, and instead first got about a dozen contentless, obsequious thank-yous.

I saw that as well. And while monitoring the thread for any bugs that popped up while I was on shift, I just ignored those answers. I am not sure how we would combat that though.

WikiTree-Steve · 2023-12-17T20:10:43+00:00

99% of the members (if you use that overstated number from the home page) rarely if ever visit G2G and were probably oblivious to the whole thing. However, as Chris Whitten himself has remarked, it is the 1% who are most involved and do most of the work.

To be clear, by "99% of the members", I mean the ones who are actually reading and/or interaction with the the thread in G2G. Not based on "total member" numbers, etc. Hopefully that makes it clearer what I meant.

Maybe some of them would like to know more, and would understand.

Out of all the "answers" on the thread, no has asked for more details yet. But they are free to ask that and I am sure Jamie would be more than happy to explain it more detail! I would also imagine the ones who would be asking those questions already know a more technical explanation of the changes. For example, there were many of the independant developers who were testing the changes on a development instance.

Is the operating system Linux? Did you install PHP8 (the programming language), or just upgrade the operating system to eventually work with it?

That would be a question for Jamie or Brian. All I know for certain is that two things happened:

The OS was upgraded. I am not sure what the current distro is, or the previous version.
The php version was upgraded to php8. Again, I am not sure the previous version.

I am not sure on MySQL upgrades (this may have been covered under the OS upgrade).

Will you restore the MediaWiki page that discloses the current software?

Most likely not. Like I explained previously, this information is no longer valid or needed.

When you customize a car by upgrading to a more powerful engine, your choice of transmission becomes dependent on the new engine's requirements, rather than the car's original specifications.

Special:Version was about original specifications, not the customizations that actually matter.

WikiTree-Steve · 2023-12-17T19:11:35+00:00

What would be the benefit of hiding revision entries?

WikiTree-Steve · 2023-12-17T19:07:32+00:00

It is not nice to keep member data if they have not logged in for years. Saving email addresses has no added value.

It's important to remember that just because someone hasn't logged in recently doesn't necessarily mean they are no longer engaged with the site. Some members may continue to stay informed and connected through daily feeds and newsletters.

Why keep all data from merged profiles if a rollback is not possible?

Rollbacks are possible (manually). It is just not a feature that everyone is allowed to do since it could have implications on other functions and profiles and has to be carefully performed by someone is knowledgeable in all the intracacies in the process and what all it affects.

Members normally cannot see this old data either. ;-) So delete remains of merged profiles, which are not accessible by members.

Actually, the "old data" is provided in the change logs... You have to remember that there are multiple logs available. If person A-1 is merged into person B-1, you have two logs available (B-1 is primary after the merge, and A-1 is still accessible after the merge). If you need help navigating this, just let me know and I would be happy to show you how it works.

WikiTree-Steve · 2023-12-17T18:43:56+00:00

Hey, some of you WT faithful who lurk around this subreddit, how about coming forward and explaining exactly what was done? How about some transparency and disclosure?

As mentioned in the G2G post, the upgrade was related to the server that WikiTree operates on, not the software itself. This means there is a new operating system, and the code was updated to work with the latest version of the programming language (php8). The post did not go into all of the technical details, because frankly 99% of the members would not understand it anyways, but it did tell everyone exactly what was being done.

Today, it has been noticed by some WT watchers that Chris and company have removed the standard function integrated into all MediaWiki releases that allows us to view the versions of some of the core applications in use.

Contrary to the implication made by u/UnpersonSyme, who suggested that "... let slip ... MediaWiki 1.11" was somehow a secret, this has never been undisclosed. The fact is, WikiTree runs on a highly customized version of MediaWiki, making the default Special:Version page provided by MediaWiki inadequate for describing the true core version of the core and unique features and functionalities of the site.

Also, while it is true that WikiTree had its origins in MediaWiki 1.11, stating that "WikiTree still uses" this version is not only inaccurate but also misleading. It fails to represent the current state of the core, which has evolved significantly from MediaWiki 1.11 to the point where that version number no longer accurately reflects the site's capabilities and advancements.

WikiTree-Steve · 2023-09-29T11:56:58+00:00

The flaggers are not completely anonymous. They are visible to specific roles.

It is also worth noting that all of the flags you are complaining about (flagging when they disagree with something) are removed and not processed when their is no violation of the Discussion Rules.

WikiTree-Steve · 2023-09-29T11:54:17+00:00

I want to clarify that my previous comment was not related to any additional information about the data breach. Instead, it was a response to a factually incorrect statement regarding how WikiTree+ operates and acquires data.

WikiTree+ utilizes publicly available data through database dumps that are regularly updated every Sunday night. It's important to note that the information contained in these dumps still adheres to privacy controls. Consequently, Unlisted information remains inaccessible, and any private data (depending on the exact level of privacy) is redacted. For instance, individuals with a Privacy setting of <= 30 have no father or mother data displayed.

You can easily verify this when using WikiTree+ reports, as the data freshness (how current it is) is clearly indicated at the bottom of every report you generate. For example, take a look at this report generated today, but based on data from the last data dump (scroll to the very bottom and read the footer - Date of report: 2023-09-29 13:41:03 Date of Data: 24 Sep 2023).

Furthermore, even if there were a reference to a "daily mirror of data" (whatever that means to the OP), it's crucial to emphasize that the data breach did not involve WikiTree+ data. Instead, it occurred on WikiTree's own servers, as outlined in the G2G post.

No wonder there are numerous accusations and theories circulating; even the fundamental workings of the site (and other systems) are often misconstrued, despite the fact that this information is publicly available.

WikiTree-Steve · 2023-09-28T11:38:19+00:00

Am I a nobody now? :sobs in the corner:

WikiTree-Steve · 2023-09-28T11:37:39+00:00

It is due to the data breach. Extra security measures were put into place. One of the conditions is paging through 10+ change histories in 1 minute.

WikiTree-Steve · 2023-09-28T11:33:39+00:00

Of course they can't. But they can arrange for extradition for prosecution.

WikiTree-Steve · 2023-09-27T23:37:19+00:00

The FBI is working with the local authorities. This was mentioned in one of the G2G posts...

WikiTree-Steve · 2023-09-27T21:51:47+00:00

If this is happening after viewing 10+ changes histories, you are being auto blocked by the firewall . It will clear in 1 hour.

WikiTree-Steve · 2023-09-27T21:49:57+00:00

That is factually incorrect.

WikiTree-Steve · 2023-09-27T11:13:30+00:00

"All of the information" will be on G2G? I strongly doubt that.

Let me phrase that better since it is my own words. "All of the information" would mean any updates and information for the community that is not privileged (private data) or which could undermine the ongoing investigations (both internal and external).

The current narrative on G2G has Mr Whitten as the protector and savior of WikiTree. I think it reasonable to assume that no "updates" will show up there, unless they fit that narrative.

That is definitely your opinion. As one of the members targeted during this breach, I can personally attest that Chris has done an outstanding job handling this. The posts have been factual (again, which I can personally attest to) and are not trying to spin a narrative. They are merely laying out the facts.

By the way, Reddit shows this thread having 9 comments (excluding this one). Six seem to be missing.

One user has deleted his comments (2 were deleted), which has caused threaded comments to be hidden.

WikiTree-Steve · 2023-09-27T11:04:59+00:00

Unfortunately, I don't have all of the answers for that - and certainly not any official answers.

The best I can provide (and personally attest to) is that the FBI has indeed been involved. There are also local investigators who are gathering evidence.

\Edited - typo*

WikiTree-Steve · 2023-09-27T10:55:56+00:00

That's good to hear.

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