Suggestions to improve the timeline system

[Yodrak 7]

Some people are more concerned about 'privacy' than others, different people have different ideas about what information is an invasion of their privacy and what information is not. I personally don't see how showing a set of dates creates an invasion of privacy that could be harmful to a VJ member.

Opting out or opting in, either way means that there is no requirement. For VJ purposes I prefer that opt out be implemented to replace the current opt-in process because of the value of timeline information to both the individual and to others.

One thing that is burdensome is having 2 independent timelines - at least I believe they are independent - one in the Immigration Timelines section and another in the member's personal info area. Some people may fill out one or the other, some people may fill out both, some people may fill out neither. I think it would be helpful if a single entry form could be developed that would populate both timelines. As several posters have noted, some guidelines to promote consistency of what is wanted for the date entries would be helpful - using proper USCIS terminology that can be referenced as to specific meaning rather than 'VJ-speak' and personal paraphrasing that can mean different things to different people

In this thread I see a lot of discussion on the value of timelines for helping people to learn how long they might expect their own case to take. The other value is that the timeline in each member's personal info area can be useful for giving a meaningful response to a question that was poorly written or contains insufficient information. It can either clear up confusion about the posted question or can indicate apparent inconsistencies in the situation that need to be cleared up before a meaningful answer can be given.

Yodrak

I'm not sure, either, how dates are an invasion of privacy. I think as long as we give people a chance to 'opt out' of creating a timeline, then there's no issue with requiring it of members.

VJ is a hot bed of information - timelines as well as 'how do I do this' type of info. Why else would you sign up for such a site other than to gather information?

Edited August 7, 2007 by Yodrak

[Ladylethal 12]

I totally agree with Yodrak, make it mandatory with an option to opt it out, instead of having it there and so many people ignoring it.

I also do think entering dates in a timeline is not invasion of privacy, and when you come to a public site to ask help about your case, which is personal, if you are unwilling to give out certain info (the same info you enter into a timeline) it's usually hard to offer that help. A background to some extent is necessary.

I also agree that future dates shouldn't be allowed, especially since people enter those future dates and don't bother to fix them later, which gives innacurate statistics.

[no name 1]

I also agree that future dates shouldn't be allowed, especially since people enter those future dates and don't bother to fix them later, which gives innacurate statistics.

[tmma 467]

I also agree that future dates shouldn't be allowed, especially since people enter those future dates and don't bother to fix them later, which gives innacurate statistics.

"Lifting Conditions

Event Date

CIS Office :

Date Filed : 2008-10-30 "

Edited August 7, 2007 by tmma

[no name 1]

I also agree that future dates shouldn't be allowed, especially since people enter those future dates and don't bother to fix them later, which gives innacurate statistics.

"Lifting Conditions

Event Date

CIS Office :

Date Filed : 2008-10-30 "

Thanks for checking up on me, I'm aware of my timeline!

LOC is a lot different than K1/K3/AOS, etc.

Edited August 7, 2007 by devilette

[tmma 467]

I also agree that future dates shouldn't be allowed, especially since people enter those future dates and don't bother to fix them later, which gives innacurate statistics.

"Lifting Conditions

Event Date

CIS Office :

Date Filed : 2008-10-30 "

Thanks for checking up on me, I'm aware of my timeline!

LOC is a lot different than K1/K3/AOS, etc.

LOL-it's still a future date on a timeline, no?

[no name 1]

I also agree that future dates shouldn't be allowed, especially since people enter those future dates and don't bother to fix them later, which gives innacurate statistics.

"Lifting Conditions

Event Date

CIS Office :

Date Filed : 2008-10-30 "

Thanks for checking up on me, I'm aware of my timeline!

LOC is a lot different than K1/K3/AOS, etc.

LOL-it's still a future date on a timeline, no?

Sure is!

You get a for your fabulous detective work.

[tmma 467]

I also agree that future dates shouldn't be allowed, especially since people enter those future dates and don't bother to fix them later, which gives innacurate statistics.

"Lifting Conditions

Event Date

CIS Office :

Date Filed : 2008-10-30 "

Thanks for checking up on me, I'm aware of my timeline!

LOC is a lot different than K1/K3/AOS, etc.

LOL-it's still a future date on a timeline, no?

Sure is!

You get a for your fabulous detective work.

Thanks , just trying to keep VJ's wealth of info accurate, and seeing as you agree that timelines should not contain future dates, you'll be needing to change your timeline, huh?

I mean-unless you want to appear to be a " do as I say-not as I do......" type, then I'm just being helpful here, that's all.

[Ladylethal 12]

I went to check mine to make sure I didn't make the same mistake, as I can see that it'd be tempting to write down the window opening date for lifting of conditions. Glad to know I didn't so my comment stands.

[tmma 467]

I went to check mine to make sure I didn't make the same mistake, as I can see that it'd be tempting to write down the window opening date for lifting of conditions. Glad to know I didn't so my comment stands.

I also agree with Yodrak, yourself, Devilette and any others that said future dates should not be on timelines, BTW.

[no name 1]

The problem with LOC is it's 2 years out. VJ has become a place to store all my immigration data if you will. I do not have a calendar for 2008 yet so I put it here.

Since it doesn't affect anything timeline-wise as it needs 2 dates to be working, per Capn, why does it matter for LOC?

There are about 25 people who ave future LOC dates, so I am not alone.

[TracyTN 237]

The problem with future stats, as Luis&Laura pointed out, is potentially skewed stats.

How does someone keeping track of their LOC date skew statistics? (In the same way POE data would skew them, I suppose?)

I'm just trying to be helpful here and keep us all on task, that's all.

[no name 1]

Since it doesn't affect anything timeline-wise as it needs 2 dates to be working, per Capn, why does it matter for LOC?

There are about 25 people who ave future LOC dates, so I am not alone.

By entering my LOC filing date, I do not skew stats.

Capn's words:

I was just looking through all of the timelines at the CSC for China. I see many , many, many timelines that have not been updated in a very long while. And the Members have not visited VJ in just as long.

How does keeping outdated, NOT-Updated, Forgotten Timelines affect the VJ Database?

It does not affect it. We ignore partial entries and only calculate dates when both the start and end date in the calculation are present. Partial entries do not affect the statistics either.

Edited August 7, 2007 by devilette

[SirLancelot 1]

I also agree that future dates shouldn't be allowed, especially since people enter those future dates and don't bother to fix them later, which gives innacurate statistics.

"Lifting Conditions

Event Date

CIS Office :

Date Filed : 2008-10-30 "

Thanks for checking up on me, I'm aware of my timeline!

LOC is a lot different than K1/K3/AOS, etc.

LOL-it's still a future date on a timeline, no?

Sure is!

You get a for your fabulous detective work.

Thanks , just trying to keep VJ's wealth of info accurate, and seeing as you agree that timelines should not contain future dates, you'll be needing to change your timeline, huh?

I mean-unless you want to appear to be a " do as I say-not as I do......" type, then I'm just being helpful here, that's all.

Heaven forbid she do that.

There are about 25 people who ave future LOC dates, so I am not alone.

There are probably thousands of people who don't enter in timeline info, they're certainly even more not alone.

[SirLancelot 1]

Opting out or opting in, either way means that there is no requirement. For VJ purposes I prefer that opt out be implemented to replace the current opt-in process because of the value of timeline information to both the individual and to others.

I would be ok with that if it's truly an either/or and have the opt-out option prominently displayed, not just some tiny font size disclaimer hidden at the very bottom.