Ancestry.......

[wldspirit]

For those of you who have Ancestry, what is your opinion of the "new and improved" Ancestry??

In contacting member support, I was told the changes are to ensure "ease of use"......quite frankly, I find it more difficult.

DeLisa

[nuccia]

I don't like it at all...searches are more difficult... Actually, I've had a few members email and PM me that they have been having problems saving the images and other various things.

Prefered the old version and plan on contacting them to let them know my opinion..for all its worth!

Nuccia

[wldspirit]

Maybe if enough people complain they will get the hint.......
searching for info is fustrating........haven't tried saving info yet....
Lisa

[nuccia]

Nonna J's going nuts...they don't even have her email on file anymore and she can't save a thing to link. I think she's ready to scream and I don't blame her...what a mess! Too many glitches...

Nuccia

[mfjp]

Hey.. why don't we all download the exact same record of someone... and then link it .... using imageshack... and see what happens...

I'm not too sure what the problem is with the downloads... I downloaded something ... and all was well when I linked it yesterday...

One of you pick a person... then I will download the exact same record and link sometime tonight using imageshack...

Maria

[wldspirit]

Here is the response from Ancestry, which is basically a blow off....

We appreciate your message.

Thank you for your feedback regarding the new site changes on our site, and we regret any frustration you may have experienced in using the new adjustments. As always, your comments are appreciated, and we will forward them on to our development team.

Based on user feedback, technology improvements, and other factors, we will continue to update our website in ways we believe improve the effectiveness, utility, and ease of use.

If you have additional how-to questions or concerns about the recent site changes, please continue to indicate these in your response to this message.


Mfjp.........will find something we can all test tomorrow if you haven't already.......what used to take seconds now takes forever to locate, nor does it give state specific searches......even if I enter Illinois in the search criteria, I still end up with records for several states.......
wldspirit

[nuccia]

Spent the whole day almost yesterday on ancestry just trying to locate info om my family. You're right..its awful. I finally figured out a few shortcuts to make some of my searches easier but the process had too many steps to get to that point that I can't even remember them!

Then imageshack began to act strange..again so I'd though I'd try imagecove..someone corrupted that website! Don't try to use it. It even gave a warning message on it so imagecove is aware of it. I tried to delete it from my bookmarks and it took several attempts before I could delete it. Of course, my whole PC just slowed right down and then I had to scan everything over and reboot several times. I finally gave up and went to bed.

So my question is...wheres a sledge hammer when you need one?

nuccia

[wldspirit]

No....not the sledgehammer!!!!

As for imageshack........what is with that site??? sometimes all I get is a blank page, other times it works great regardless of my image size.......

maybe you should post a new topic so that everyone will be aware of the corrupted website????

wldspirit

[nuccia]

They changed the change specs that you can upload on imageshack so that it can handle the larger census records but you often still have to resize the image to custom size now in order to be able to zoom in once you link it or the print is too small to read.

I get the blank page too alot. I think I will post a new topic about imagecove..what a nightmare there!

nuccia

[vj]

I have noticed something on ancestry that has been throwing off my searches.
It may help...

If you do your first search, don't like the results, then amend your search
at the bottom of the results page, (make sense so far?)

ancestry 'saves' your keywords from the first search!

Look at the 'keyword' box at the bottom of your search criteria, it may
still have stuff in it.

[jcsm400]

Maybe that has been the the problem!
Thanks Valarie.
jcsm

[nuccia]

I've noticed that if you narrow down your search by which census you would like to view (ie: 1910 census) the results are a bit better and its easier to find info.

Yes, the keywords do affect the search. Also, I think it some cases you actually need more info to get the results you want back. It seems to be getting easier to use..it just has a learning curve. Exact searches are less accurate.

We'll keep at it and see what happens.

Nuccia

[wldspirit]

Got sidetracked with regard to the test download.......

Signed up for Genealogy.com's historical records.......if you think Ancestry's searches are difficult right now........try searching thru the historical records at that site.....not alot of options to narrow down a search......

I did save several images from Ancestry to my computer and had no problems.......and it does seem to be getting better............so maybe they are working out the glitches........

wldspirit

[juanminbar]

one thing that everyone has not mentioned is the consolidation of offerings and the increase in price.

j

[mfjp]

Hey.. why don't we all download the exact same record of someone... and then link it .... using imageshack... and see what happens...

I'm not too sure what the problem is with the downloads... I downloaded something ... and all was well when I linked it yesterday...

One of you pick a person... then I will download the exact same record and link sometime tonight using imageshack...

Maria

further... along with a little beef...

Just did some tests with downloading the images... I am on a Mac... and I don't have the same problems with linking files that end up being too small to read...

I don't know why.... but I will ask around....

But these are my settings when I create a link

http://img134.imageshack.us/img134/5961/imageshqb4.jpg

Note that I do not resize anything...

-----------------

I select the very bottom url to link my images.... (Direct link to image)....

http://img144.imageshack.us/img144/2665/directri3.jpg

Please let me know if you use the same method... my son belongs to a computer forum and I am hoping he can help us....
------------------------
J....

I think Ancestry is too expensive and each time I renew... I ask myself "what do I need it for....."

I actually don't need it... but I only subscribe so I can help here at the forum... that is the only reason...

It costs us a pretty penny to subscribe and I am really hoping that all who sees a census or manifest can really appreciate that we've paid for this... we've spent the time to download and link it... it does eat up our time...

I am first generation Canadian... my parents immigrated to Canada in 1957.. so no records to look for... I found what I needed through the free trial period...

Personally... I love American documents... I love American-Italian research... and certainly enjoy looking for things as do many of us here...
-----------------------------------
If I could suggest one thing...

If you find an image - census ... manifests.. you name it... really learn how to use Imageshack or something else... and just try to link it yourself... really not that hard to do...

It's not that hard to learn... it saves YOU time in the long run when someone else links your findings... but not the person who is creating the urls...... just want to be fair here...

I will continue to link documents if I find something of interest... and I will continue to link for anyone else if they've never done it before and need some help... and if I do see valuable info but in text format.. i will volunteer and link in the image as well.. I've done this many times... but not as much lately... I'd spend whatever free time I had just linking and linking.. and no time or energy left to look things up...

Once you link a viewable file... it not only helps the person (poster) receiving this... but it helps the rest of the researchers who also want to view...

I am forever going back and forth to Ancestry just so I could compare the data (submitted on a post) to the image... and many times... there's something else that can be discovered...

So... it's only a suggestion... do try to learn how to link a file...

I know that our forum members have the biggest hearts around...

Maria