Comments on: Ancestry Search: Improvements to Basic Search

By: J. Fulmer

J. Fulmer — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 21:44:15 +0000

Remember it’s all about the money!! And as a business I just don’t believe Ancestry.com is going to do anything really stupid like dump Old Search.

Anne, glad to hear from you on this! I’m glad you realize this topic really is worrisome to many of us long-loyal customers.

By: Andy Hatchett

Andy Hatchett — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 19:41:37 +0000

Carol Re: #135

As my nephew’s history teacher once told his class…

“You either move with the times or are left as roadkill when time marches on!”

By: Carol A. H.

Carol A. H. — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 19:38:45 +0000

For all who prefer the old search (me included), we will just have to work faster while it is available.

The NEHGS just changed to American Ancestors and I subscribe to it. I’m sorry to say they have changed a lot and it is NO LONGER as fast and efficient as it once was , but like Ancestry, you have to go where the records are. We are captives of our time.

By: Anne Mitchell

Anne Mitchell — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 17:55:04 +0000

The change we rolled out had nothing to do with Old Search, it was an update to the Basic (non advanced) New Search. Some of you may have found yourself in New Search, but Old search is still there, and you can switch back to it on the search page as described in comments on this blog.

And for an experience user, I would recommend New Advanced Search. Now, I know that some of you prefer Old Search, which is fine, it’s still there and if you are finding records, then that is the goal! But Advanced New Search has a lot of powerful features.

Will Old Search go away? Probably someday. It’s there and we have no timetable on which to remove it, but we also don’t maintain it.

For those of you that use Old Search exact, I do recommend you try New Search advanced and explore the name and location filters. They are much more powerful than exact search. Also, you can change your results to list by Category instead of Relevance, and drill down from there.

Happy Searching!

By: Andy Hatchett

Andy Hatchett — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 17:45:19 +0000

J. Re:#131

The Knoxville FGS was in mid August, 2010- approx. 4 months ago.

The postings to this Blog constitute an infinitesimal percentage compared to the overall membership.

I happened to be in one of the focus groups in Knoxville and over 70% of that group preferred NewSearch to OldSearch.

You may be right- they may keep OldSearch…
but oversall odds (based on effeciency, resource allocation, etc.) are against it.

New Search development is hampered right now because they have to make sure any changes don’t harm OldSearch in a terminal way. Once NewSearch reaches a state of development where it is as effective as OldSearch then OldSearch can be terminated and NewSearch be improved in ways that can’r presently be done simply because OldSearch is still around.

By: J. Fulmer

J. Fulmer — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 13:54:51 +0000

#129
The Knoxville FGS meeting was 6 months ago last August. Since then there has been huge continued customer discontentment with New Search and their roll-out “fixes”. I think Ancestry will “come to their senses” and find a way to keep Old Search. It is still early and at this stage I see no need to project a resigned attitude toward this.

By: BEE

BEE — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 12:12:38 +0000

I would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy, Healthy New Year, and “Happy Holidays” to all those celebrating other holidays at this time of the year.
I would also like to thank ancestry.com for all the wonderful connections I have made with my membership. While I do keep my trees “private”, I have met many people through the “contact” feature, including a second cousin and others that I continue to keep in touch and share information after sharing our email addresses.

By: Andy Hatchett

Andy Hatchett — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 06:03:23 +0000

J. Re: #128

It is *not* speculation!

Anyone who attended the Knoxville FGS would have heard Ann say in front of a room holding 600+ people that she would *not* promise that OldSearch would be around forever.

Do you really think Ancestry’s going to invest this much time, energy, and resources on NewSearch just to keep OldSearch around when NewSearch reaches its design goals??

It just *ain’t* gonna happen- period!

By: J. Fulmer

J. Fulmer — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 03:49:12 +0000

Andy:

1. If we’re paying good money and are dissatisfied with the service then I feel we have the right “to crab”, as you put it.

2. In front of Anne Mitchell you keep saying that the demise of “old search” is inevitable, as if you know something we don’t. Your negative speculation is not helpful.

By: Andy Hatchett

Andy Hatchett — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 01:55:33 +0000

Bee Re: #126

What is says is that there are a bunch of crabby old folks who think the world should stand still just for them!

*HUGE GRIN*

Relax folks- it is a joke!

Just wanted to wish everyone a Happy Holiday Season and a Joyous New Year!