Proposal for a new filter option: the 'ID tips' button

I don’t think anybody should be creating fake observations that just link to other observations.

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There should be a better way to link to useful keys and other information. Your “fake observation” violates the foundation of an iNat observation, i.e. your firsthand interaction with one organism.

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OK, I delete this fake observation.

It would be really helpful if everyone started using a “tag IDcomment” system like I’ve suggested before. This way, we could have a basic way to link observations without needing any changes to the current system. Of course, it wouldn’t be as good as the new proposal because you’d only be able to tag your own observations, but it’s still a decent workaround for now.

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Something like this would be immensely useful. In fact, merely being able to filter observations for those with comments and/or IDs with “tell us why” notes would already go a long way. Although I would guess this has already been proposed?

The problem with all of the existing options (tags, projects, observation fields) is that users have to know about and agree upon a specific method to label such observations. The subset of users who regularly read the forum are only a small portion of the users on iNat.

Using tags, as you note, has an additional disadvantage compared to something like projects – they can only be added by the observer. Often useful discussions will happen between IDers on an observation by a user who may no longer be active or may not be familiar enough with iNat to figure out how to add a tag. Tags also require that you type it correctly each time (you won’t be informed about typos, which will be saved as a different tag).

While observation fields and projects have the limitation that users can choose to not allow others to add this to their observations, the number of users to whom this applies is relatively small (and some of them are happy to add observations to projects if asked), so in most cases it is possible for other users to add them. Projects have a more sophisticated interface than observation fields and are more likely to be seen and subsequently adopted by other users. The more people who know about and are able to use a particular function, the more likely it is that it will get applied to relevant observations.

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Project please. Something straightforward, obvious and simple to use and then explain.

Not tags. (I will annotate but I don’t tag) I see that as a personal solution for your own research purposes. Getting all iNatters to use the right tag …

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How will projects help me find ID comments?

A dedicated project for ID comments.
iNatters like the ones on this Forum thread, would add relevant obs to the ‘Observations with ID tips’ project.
Still a workaround.

The initial suggestion would be better than a project, but needs must.

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More observations with ID tips here:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observation_fields/10487
https://www.inaturalist.org/observation_fields/13933

Unfortunately, it’s not possible to create a Collection Project for observations having some observation field. So, we won’t be able to make these observations appear in a Collection Project and in your Umbrella Project. :confused: :-1:

I have just added an ID tip observation field on an observation with Observer only allows other people to add their observations to traditional projects they have joined. But it won’t help, as we can’t filter the 2 pages above by taxon. (Moreover, observers can also forbid addition of an observation field to their observations, but that seems less common).

I have a dream that one day every information field shall be integrated/searchable anywhere in iNaturalist. Why isn’t there a taxon filter in these observation field pages above? (And in a comments page?.. And so on…).

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Note for Identifiers:
It is very helpful to post guides for the species you are most frequently identifying in your bio on iNat. Therefore people who would like to keep that information stored and quickly accessible can simply follow you.

(See my profile for an example: https://www.inaturalist.org/people/3911628)

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That’s fine if you only regularly identify a few. If you have more than a few, it would get too difficult to find them on a bio page. I think someone suggested journal entries? Then you could link to the journal entries from your bio page.

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A journal entry is better - then the writer, and future identifiers can link to the journal in comments.
It is this sp - see the blue spots on the feet - and bluespot’s journal post about them.

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Yes, that is a good point.

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I more meant writing journal posts and linking them in your profile. I should’ve elaborated as that is what I did for mine.

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@carnifex I also suggested something along these lines, but intended to use journals. It was this post: https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/create-journals-tab-on-taxon-page-for-quick-info-on-taxon/57201

Also, if you want, I can make you a curator of Observations With ID Tips.

I was also pleased to see another tag I missed! IDcomment. Please tell me if you know of any tag or observation field I missed. Here are all the ones I’ve merged so far: https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/observations-with-id-tips/journal/100310-description

You might ad my project
https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/01-bestimmungshilfen-identification-aid

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Here is my example
https://www.inaturalist.org/people/5291883