Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 14

Thread: Why are you caught up in this task?

  1. #1

    Why are you caught up in this task?

    Except for staff, I presume we're all volunteers. I'm curious about what motivates others to spend hours fixing stuff. My motives are far from altruistic. I'm addicted to tatting and the prospect of finding new patterns interests me, especially when they're by an Australian author whose book sits on my shelf. (I live in the Los Angeles, California area.)

  2. #2
    Prolific poster
    Join Date
    Aug 2011
    Posts
    195
    Each contributor may have a different combination of motives, not a single one. A newspaper article today claimed that Humans are biologically programmed so that fulfilling a request for help releases oxytocins, and that makes people feel happy.
    My non-biological motives are these. I had been encountering Trove occasionally for several years. I made a point of always editing any article that I used, but I kept coming across articles that I could not correct in full because there were lines missing, and only registered contributors can insert new lines. So I registered. I have been slaving away fairly hard for several months, but I shall not keep it up indefinitely, as I am engaged in other projects.
    I had some time available, as the site to which I had devoted about three years becomes toxic with argument from time to time, and I needed a break. Here one can do one's own thing. A few disagreements, but no serious arguments. Certainly no hurling of abuse, which happens on many sites.
    In addition: Entering random words or dates can turn up some fascinating insights into different worlds. Some philosopher said something like: The past is a different country; they do things differently there. This is the only sort of travelling that I can do.

  3. #3
    Trove user mogedon's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Location
    Sydney
    Posts
    41
    Research interests—definitely and almost entirely. The biggest problem I find now is that Trove is the perfect tool for procrastination. I've spent many hours perfecting relevant text when I should have been using the original to work on my projects!

    I can only justify this by a vague but certain belief that those hours have not been fruitlessly wasted but have brought someone else's Trove interests a little closer to "perfection".

  4. #4
    Trove user
    Join Date
    Jun 2010
    Location
    Concord
    Posts
    41
    Research interests are definitely why I am using Trove. Apart from the Australian newspapers which will revolutionise the way Australian history is done - the Books section helps me find relevant literature in Australia or on-line. Actually it helps me realise how little of the literature on my main areas of research is Not held in Australian libraries so I can make informed decisions about research strategies.

  5. #5
    I like the idea of contributing to making it easier for research to be undertaken by amateurs and the like in a small way.

  6. #6
    I have nothing better to do! lol

  7. #7
    Research and curiosity plus finding references to family activities over the past 190 odd years. I correct some things because I know what the information is about and know that perhaps younger people have no knowledge of an area, for example market and weather condition reports from 1800s; stock sale reports. Others because the article has historic significance or is about someone of importance.
    Anyway, I must be a pedant because the mangled text draws me in!

  8. #8
    I'm a hobbyist researcher with a huge interest in labour history, and this gives me an outlet that far trumps any other alternative. I often focus on early 20th century labour politics, sometime segueing into interesting events that happened at the time, and sometimes into cultural aspects of the times (i.e. I find old women's interest columns fascinating).

    I'd spend all day on here if I could, and I think I used to be about #7 in the text correctors' list, but being in my twenties and having to work and study I just can't keep up with the retirees!

  9. #9
    Member
    Join Date
    Jan 2012
    Location
    Wollongong, NSW
    Posts
    1
    I just started today! I am a linguist with a specialism in English Language, and I enjoy looking at the English from earlier periods. I appreciate archives. But there is nothing like typing it out to teach you how it was. I also enjoy doing voluntary work. So a mixture of enjoyment and altruism plus a dose of obsessiveness.

  10. #10
    Member
    Join Date
    Jan 2012
    Location
    Canada
    Posts
    1
    I am researching the Australian branch of my family, making corrections along the way to my history and anything related. I cannot believe how much information I have been able to find. Australia is an awesome country and I am truly addicted to this site. Thank you Trove!!

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •