Hi Gill,
I've deliberately stayed out of this for a while to wait for feedback, but as you say, no one is responding.
To all:
The database is there "as is" for general use and will remain; this discussion is only about who is allowed to edit it and how. And, as further discussion point, a review of what you want to achieve with this database.
As Brian said, a multi-user database is harder to manage than a database designed and submitted by one person. Brian's sugar bakers database has only one line of info. for each person, with a source for that information.
As I have understood it, our goal has also been to provide a list of german pork butchers, but also to provide as much information as possible about each individual (with possibilities of establishing connections and relationships)
If sources are important, then we would need a way of "sourcing" every item entered for each person. Or you can expand each of the individual entry fields to provide the source (census, BMD, etc) of that particular piece of information. i.e. addresses "36 High Street, Bolton [1901 census]", "3 Sausage Lane, Leeds [Death cert.]" etc.
I personally have no particular link to German Pork Butchers, other than helping out with the database software, so I need your input about how you want to use the database.
regards,
Bob