The revamping of KinHelp a few months ago involved using an existing piece of software, which unfortunately included "log in" options intended for the website team, but its visibility made users think they had to log in to use the site.

Over the next few weeks we are going to kick things around to improve the site; but one of the improvements we hope to do, is make at least part of the site a "wiki"-style section. This will mean this section is open to you to make contributions and updates to items in it. My intention is that contributions should be small articles (up to 500 words?) on any Scottish genealogy-related subject. There will of course be a webmaster's prerogative to alter or delete any article to keep everything as accurate, readable and to the point as possible. I suspect that will mean any item has to have an author's name and an e-mail contact address; and MUST be original writing, not copied from elsewhere.

I am open to ideas on how we go about this. Articles - pure genealogy, or including place names, geography of Scotland, history of Scotland, clans and tartans, heraldry, and so on? My own preference is to avoid clans, tartans, and heraldry except for brief warning items about the pitfalls in these. I would happily allow warning articles about these unsolicited books "of your family name" which get offered by post and other ways.

Any long article is best dealt with by a link through to a URL where it can be found, possibly on one of your own web pages. That means I cannot amend it, although I would insist on checking its accuracy before allowing a link.

Do you want anything on the origins of some less well known surnames? If so, I would like suggestions on what surnames might be worthwhile elucidating.