TMG-L Archives

Archiver > TMG > 2006-11 > 1162370917


From: Bob Velke <>
Subject: Re: [TMG] Wishlist-New column
Date: Wed, 01 Nov 2006 03:48:37 -0500
References: <7.0.1.0.2.20061031185436.03ea4f50@whollygenes.com><LPBBJNIOBJEJOGJFMDGJMEFLNHAB.ddburghart@cox.net>
In-Reply-To: <LPBBJNIOBJEJOGJFMDGJMEFLNHAB.ddburghart@cox.net>


DeAnna said:

> >>Regardless of source or surety level, etc.?<<
>
>Sure, why not? Age calculates regardless of source or surety, doesn't it?

My point is that, in MY project at least, a divorce-group tag or
death of a spouse didn't necessarily happen in history just because I
happen to have a tag for it. I have _evidence_ of a lot of things
that may never have really happened and each is properly distinguish
or qualified by the source and/or surety. TMG's features try to
emphasize that we're working with evidence, not historical facts. It
seems to me if the program drew conclusions about a person's marital
status at the time of a census, for instance, based on the mere
existence (or lack thereof!) of certain tags, then it would be
interpreting those tags as historical fact.

I don't really want to get into the predictable debate about whether
a couple is still married after one of the spouses dies. Not
everyone's oath or religious beliefs include " 'till death do us
part." Suffice it to say (please!) that people will disagree on this point.

>(Can't re-calculate based on remarriage of a spouse or initiation of
>a new marriage, because that would mess up bigamists
>and polygamists.)

Sigh <g>. It seems that you and Teresa already disagree how the
feature would work in the case of a second marriage.

>One possible hitch, of course, is the presence of a divorce-group event with
>only one principal. I have to assume in that situation the count would not
>reset. (It is possible to enter a divorce with only P1, isn't it?)

Yes. And what about a non-primary divorce-group (or marriage-group!) event?

>>Doesn't the proposal encourages people to look at the data as
>>historical fact, rather than evidence?
>
>No more so than age...

I don't agree. The age is calculated based on the year of the
event. If it is prior to 2006, then I can say with some certainty
that the year happened <g>. Having the program assert the person's
_status_ at that moment in time is a different kettle of fish and
requires a thoughtful analysis of the evidence. That's the part that
bothers me.

>This is yet another time I find myself briefly wishing I could paint
>(subtle!!) gridlines on the person view. ...

Um....do you mean like File > Preferences > Program Options > Lists >
Show vertical/horizontal lines?

Bob Velke
Wholly Genes Software


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