Today, Ancestry.com launched a brand-new homepage that logged-in members will see the next time they visit the site. According to the Ancestry blog,Â
By combining the two pages into a single new home page, we’ve reduced the number of clicks it takes you go get to the features you use most. You may have already noticed that since we combined the two pages, there is no longer a separate “My Ancestry†tab, or link in the header. All of the tools and features from the My Ancestry page can now be found on the new home page.
New sections will also keep you informed on new features and records added to Ancestry.com, and one feature I particularly like is the ability to create your own “Quick Links” to your favorite databases, record collections, message boards, and other pages you visit frequently on the site. You’ll also find your Shoebox items, Recent Activity and a new To-Do List to help you stay organized.
You can learn more about the new home page and submit feedback through this FAQ page that highlights the new features.
UPDATE 07 July 2008: Melissa Philips has posted a follow-up message in response to the feedback they have been receiving. In it she outlines some changes that are in the works for the new homepage. Click here to read her update.
I dislike the new layout because it puts the “start your family tree” on the top of the page, forcing frequent users to scroll down each time in order to place a search, a small but very persistent and frequent annoyance to those of us who are long time subscribers and search the site several times each day. The survey was oddly designed; it didn’t really offer a place to comment on the new design. All in all, a thumbs down from me.
I don’t like the fact that someone else’s family tree is at the top of “my” homepage. This is a tree whose creator permitted me access when I was researching a friend’s line and is no relation to me. I resent the fact that I have to scroll down to search over this darned tree thing. If this is to be “MY” home page I’d like control over it.
There is too much ‘Stuff’ on the page for me. That along with all the advertisements is really a turnoff.
1. I do not want someone family tree at the top of my home page. Normally it is a tree that I only visit once or twice a month and is simply in the way.
2.The home page is nowhere near as easy to use as the old home page. Why can’t they leave alone something that worked very well.
3.I am having trouble accessing the One World Tree files. When I go through FTM to ancestry to research a person, I can view all the data except OneWorldTree files.
I love the site; but could you PLEASE alphabetize the lists of databases, and the results of a search. That would save hours.
I agree 100 per cent with Bobbie Snow. Plus it appears that Ancestry is pushing for “trees” rather than research.
What is ancestry’s goal; to be an awesome research center with original images or to be a tree organization? I have been a member of ancestry for many years and originally joined b/c of the census images. I have stayed b/c of many document images. I hope ancestry will keep RESEARCH as the focus and leave the compiled, published, etc to other experts.
The new format, in a word, sucks. All the complaints are valid. We should be given an option of whether we want someone else’s family tree at the top of our own page. What were they thinking?
I agree with the idea that the owner should decide which tree is to be first on home page. I also do not like the world tree as much misinformation is linked together. I will look at individual trees for hints and to find people working on same lines but do not link them to my trees. What I want most is original records. I also find when I do a search that much comes up that is no where related to what I asked for. Need a better way to narrow searches.
I do not like the new home page. I do not like the family trees being there at the start. I would prefer the old home page where I could select where I wanted to start. I also agree with the comments by Janet.
The thing I dislike most about the new page is that it takes more clicks to make a census search- bring back the census year links that were on the first page.
I do like the new home page very much but think that it could be improved by letting each user customize certain “look and feel” elements, like which Tree shows first or at all. It is not difficult to program allowances for “screen only” user customizations. Someone commented that something called “my home page” should really be theirs. I agree and allowing screen-based customization would allow that. Thanks for the good work you’ve done so far.
Clean up the home page, get rid of all of “your” advertising. The whole thing is a cluttered mess. Census searches that were so easy are now difficult. Thumbs down on the new format.
Thumbs down on the ‘enhancements’. Perhaps you might want to consider checking with your subscribing customers before someone there decides what is best for them. I also dont like the search results layout. I liked the ‘old’ system of seeing how many hits ‘ssan results’ or ‘military results’ or ‘census results’ have and letting me choose to go there or note rather than giving me 1,460,740 hits in random order for a one word search. Your site seems to be targeting advertising more and subscriber satisfaction less. REFOCUS. Get the input from genealogists and not from a programmer who thinks something is neat.
Please review the feedback from the users….and reconsider the enhancements and advertising. I agree with all of the corrections requested by the others on this subject.
I like the new set up i do wish for the option of stateing where i’d like to begin. when i put in a year i wish the response of time frame were smaller years wise i love having access to one tree and other sites for free as many as possible please!
I don’t like the new set up. As someone else said I like to get to the search area right away. Besides, my family tree isn’t on my opening page but my nieces is! Since I am not related to a good many of her relatives why would I want it there? I wouldn’t mind my OWN family tree at the bottom of the page but it really isn’t necessary as it is in my Family tree maker.
Basicaly the new changes are a regessive step. I now have to perform about ten operations to get to where I want to start.
There was nothing wrong with the old system of going to “my ancestry” and selecting the tree that I wanted.Now I get anywhere but that.
To echo other contributors “who the h*ll” asked for it to be changed ? and when can I leave you ?.
I do not like the new home page. Very difficult to get to various frequently used data bases. The tree section should not be the first section seen. This is definitely not an improvement for those of us who have been members for a long time
I agree with most of the posts made today. I, too, don’t like the new format. If I want to see someone else’s tree, I’ll go to it. I also don’t like the One World Trees, the combining of all the trees. Too many errors that no one bothers to correct. Alphabatizing search results would be a BIG help! Instead of scrolling through 1000 names.I also like the idea of seeing how many “search results” Do I look through 10 or 1000? With all of that, I still like the end results I do get.
I agree with everyone else who don’t like the new home page. Ancestry is getting more and more difficult to navigate and find what you are looking for.
I do not like the new home page. The tree that appears is that of a fringe relative and most of the tree is not related to me. Maybe you should do a survey Before changing things, not after.
I didn’t like the new set up. I didn’t like my tree to be the
first thing I looked at. I am new at Genealogy,the computer and
a senior, so for me it’a work in work in progress each time I log on and easy is better. I enjoyed the old page.
Comment by Lonnie Baker
I do not like the new home page. It is so difficult to navigate. If I want to go to the UK Census collection for instance – I can’t find it. I don’t want to just do a general search,I know specifically what I want to find, and I used to be able to go straight to the page. If I want to use the UK BMD pages, where are they, I can’t find them. The page has my thumbs down.
I agree with most of what has been said. I put in my information and 10,000 + hits just doesn’t get it. I frequent the Kentucky birth and death records and all the states records came up. The changes did not simplify anything.
I am just thankful to have access to so much information, all the vital records, census, and many friends and relatives I have had the pleasure of encountering. I am so blessed! Thank you for the hard work of everyone at Ancestry.com
Designing a new site and assuming that EVERYONE coming to the site is a new user is a major goof. How many registered users do you have? How many of them have only free access? THE REST OF US ARE PAYING FOR THIS SITE AND THE LAST THING WE WANT TO SEE IS AN ADVERTISEMENT!!!!
Try using technology — cookies!!! If the site user has free access, show an ad. If the site user is a paying customer … DO NOT SHOW THAT AD!!!
And the same thing would not say “Start a Family Tree”. That could be a link somewhere, but don’t use up a good chunk of the home page for it for the paying, long-term customer.
Bring back the census access to the home page! You obviously are NOT using a statistics program because if you were — you would have KNOWN how often this was clicked from the home page.
Now — I do like being able to get to the shoebox fast. I like the display of the latest databases and I do not mind scrolling to see the info. I want the search back where it belongs — just below the header, topnav!!!!
I rely significantly on having access to One World Tree records, as I had pretty much exhausted other routes. Recently finding almost 3 additional generations, I had only begun to verify the information, when it was unceremoniously removed, and the people are listed as “does not exist in One World Tree.” Put it back the way it was!
While I love working with Ancestry I do appreciate the need to “Fix” something that is not broke. Also for the fee we pay I object to having to put up with the advertisements. Also while I appreciate having access to the card catalog I can’t understand the need to update the manner in which we access it, the old method was much easier.
Does anyone at Ancestry.com read these comments? I agree with what everyone is saying, but I wonder if we are just talking to ourselves! I cannot understand why Ancestry moved “See A List Of Everyone On Your Tree” from the home page. If I want to see my genealogy tree, I’ll choose that option. I’m on Ancestry.com almost every day, and every day it seems that things change and not for the better. Where do we find the responses to all our questions and concerns?
What was Ancestry.com thinking? The home page is awful – has information we don’t want, difficult to find information we do want.
Go back to the old format!
the page leaves a lot to be desired, however, i can work with it. i have 2 comments: 1. why do the pop-ups open so fast? they are not the ones i want, and they get in the way. 2. why, if i am looking up someone who died in 1800, do i have to go through all the social security death records?
WHY CAN’T I OPEN ANY OF THE “ONE WORLD TREES” – THEY SAY THIS PERSON DOES NOT EXIST. I WAS ABLE TO ACCESS THIS BEFORE.
PLEASE RESPOND TO THIS – THIS IS VERY DISTURBING.
AND WHY DO YOU KEEP CHANGING THINGS? I’VE ONLY BEEN A MEMBER SINCE LAST YEAR AND JUST WHEN I GET USED TO SOMETHING IT CHANGES. THIS IS RIDICULOUS.
I,too,have a hard time “seeing” through all the “stuff” on the home page- it’s too cluttered. Also, it would be nice to be able to take out a surname. there are times when I am looking in a census record and know the female has not married yet. If we could exclude the married name,then we wouldn’t have so many records to scroll through to get what we need.
The Census was so much easier to get to, before the change. Considering how important the Census is, especially to a new researcher, I think it should be immediately accesssible from the first page.
I agree that the new homepage is not good – I have someone else’s family tree right there at the beginning and have to wait for all that junk to download before I can even begin with what I want to look for! The amount of entries that come up with a simple request is overwhelming. GO BACK TO THE WAY IT WAS!!!!!
I agree with all of the above. Why do I have to go to View Tree and then to Person. That is a waste of time. I need the Person first. Rarely use the Tree view as it is in my head.
Why don’t you go back to the system of a year ago. Better One World and Ancestry Trees. Better for searching. Good first page. AS for that pilot and his jiggling plane it gives me a migrain, .uk.
How about changing the Historic selection of a Person Page to Chronological and not all messed up and not including Telephone Books in UK searches, waste of major time. Waste of time with same Last name but different first and sometimes second names. This part of the programme is an absolute waste of time.
Why can’t we go from Corrections in a Census back to the Record Page to complete process for other members of the family.
Why in the new census Attachment system in uk records of 1841 is a whole family not attached at once. Why if a new person is highlighted, by you, created but does not have the census attached, therefore requiring a new search to get back to that record.
You have changed so many ways of searching that it is becoming burdensome and extremely frustrating and being given second thoughts my me as to how much I really want to continue with my tree. The entire new Search system is appalllllling.
It would be nice if when we send in corrections that are illegible to receive a quick e-mail with the right information.
Thanks are really appreciated but they are, after all, automatic. We need the information and sometimes it can be months before the correction is done and sometimes never.
Why in the UK records do you not let us know which years are unavailable in the BMD and in Census which areas are missing. That is only a small amout of space and a little button to access the info. “Missing or N/A”.
AS I said in the ‘Survey’ of the New Home Page – If it doesn’t need repairing – don’t fix it. You site didn’t need any repairs.
Quick Links doesn’t take me to Person.
The Ancestry search function has ALWAYS been too inclusive (too many results) and now it has deteriorated. If you are going to continue this way, a system tightening the parameters must be developed. I would threaten to leave, but you are just about the only game in town. And as long as I am writing, why,why,why when Ancestry is accessed direct from my FTW family file are there 50% ghost responses to wade through? Ridiculous!
I have been a member of Ancestry for a number of years, even paying for almost all services on an annual basis. Due illness I had not been doing research for awhile.
When I went to Ancestry to resume researching and found the changes, I was so angry I could have blown a fuse!
If it is not broken, why fix it? How many complaints did they get about the format of the previous layout of the program before they jumped in and made it so dificult to use?
Am I the only one who has just given up and put away my research material more times than not because I am so frustrated? If something isn’t done to make it easier to navigate and locate information, I will cancel my membership. I am sure that Ancestry.com won’t miss my payment, but if enough of us do that, perhaps they will get the message.
I could live with the re-arranged stuff, but that tree at the top needs to go! The one that pops up is not mine, but a distant relative of my husbands.
Other suggestions I have- as Susan said above, need limits on SSDI’s- I hate having to wade thru those and the phone records for people who died before 1900. Also, could someone work on a way to block all the other countries from popping up as hits if you are looking specifically for someone in the US? If I cancel my World Membership, will that disable the other countries from popping up as hits?
Finally, I have run across lots of transcription errors and would like to be able to submit corrections, but there are so few ways to do it, and the times I have tried, no correction was made.
If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. The old page was fine. PLEASE don’t change ancestry.co.uk … that is the way I usually use ancestry, and the home page works fine for me.
One of my favourite ways to start a new search was by clicking on an individual state on the map of the U.S. It would give me all the resources available at Ancestry.com for that state. I could research in that state not sift through information from all 50 states. Where did it go? I also pay to see actual records and would like the census links back on the home page. Lastly, about the OneWorld Tree- heaven knows why anyone would want to link information from any tree to their own without doing the research themselves. Just let me see the individual trees so I can contact the members myself if we are researching the same person.
I would also like to see the many databases that are available
for searching put in alpha order so they can be found much easier.
I have tried working with this “new & imporved” Ancestry, BUT I have found the home page takes LONGER to load then the original, and with a DSL line! If it ain’t broke we DON’T need it fixed. We don’t need bells and whistles, we need more DATA and images on search sites.
You tried, but failed on this one!!
While I can appreciate all the comments about the new home page for ancestry I do see a couple of improvements that may be for the better. I like the quick links at the top right of the screen and the fact you can add your own for frequently accessed databases. I agree about the tree thing, however. If I want to see the trees I’ll go to the forest-get rid of it as the first thing you see. Since most people probably use the census links the most they should be returned to where they were or at least made a bigger part of the opening screen. ALPHABETIZE THE DATABASES!! Drives me crazy trying to find what I want. I also agree about the united states map. It was nice to be able to locate all the info for a state by clicking on the desired state. Especially since it is difficult to locate anything in the list of databases. I noticed it is still available, just in a different location. CLick on the Search tab and scroll down. There it is! Not the greatest improvments, but I guess I can live with it. Would be nice to see a price reduction in these difucult economic times!! Ancestry is about to price me out of using it.
I think Ancestry’s new home page is just awful!! It takes way too many clicks to find anything and the census links are now buried. Bring back the old home page! Your advertizing does you no good with me. The more you push it, the more you loose me. Don’t change things just for the sake of making a change. Make a change for the better and think about your customers and not the almighty dollar. Do a good job and you will be well rewarded – do a lousy job and ….
Please go back to what we had! Especially dislike the tree at top of page–nothing to do with me! I agree with most of the negative comments. Why change what isn’t broke?
I, too, was unpleasantly surprised by the new page. Agree with all the negative comments above. What on earth were you thinking?
I agree with ALL the negative comments. I hate everything about the new page. Maybe I have no right to complain since I have already canceled my subscription. I did this because I could not access some of the Marriage records even though I have had a subscription to U.S. Records for several years. It seems that when a new marriage database was added, I could not open it, it was locked. I had been a paying member for 5 years and feel like Ancestry really has gone down hill.
I guess my membership did not mean much, I had several messages back and forth about this problem I was having and they were never able to tell me why I did not have access. They kept saying I had access. When I called to cancel my subscription, they never asked my why I canceled, just wanted me to upgrade.
Some changes need to be made and fast or they will lose more customers. I know several people who have canceled already.
Jo Cox
Its so frustrating to navigate your new format. After almost 9 years of membership I’m ready to throw in the towel. I agree with everything I have read in the previous comments. Why do I have the family tree of a person who is remotely related on my home page. If it aint broke, dont try and fix it.
I will never understand why the powers that be think that ‘new and improved’ will be just that! WRONG….. ‘old and working well’ is just fine……… I totally agree with all the comments I have been reading, and am sitting here nodding my head as each comment goes by. The page is way too cluttered and confusing, records are harder to access, I finding that some records I have used before as resource aren’t even listed any more, what happened? That old ‘new and improved’ argument again!!! Geez…….. Prices keep going up, quality is slipping.
With the World Tree access thing…. I would NEVER put someone elses information in my tree without first checking the sources they have……. and I strongly object to someone using my tree to fill out their own along with all my hard work of researching, sourcing and documenting without so much as a by-your-leave, or a thank you…….. yuk……… Not fair on the part of those of us who take the trouble (and fun) of researching all info before entering it into our trees.
Please go back to the old way, it was working, so why the messing around????
Bobbi Broeniman
new made wine is not so great to the taste ,neather is new made home pages , my vote for it is zero…
I, too, agree with most everyone here. I don’t like the new changes, either. And, I definitely don’t like the way the results are displayed when you do your search from the “Search” page. The format from the “Home” page search is much more negotiable and easier to use. Put things back the way they were…it was much less time consuming to sort through the info.
I agree that the new homepage is the pits. I do not want someone else’s tree (which I was invited to see) the first thing that I see. AND I want the census year options listed again on bottom so I can access just a certain year right away instead of going on a long route to get to that certain year.
Ancestry just doesn’t keep their access to certain records available, bad links or? For four days, and maybe it will continue longer, blank pages come up when trying to access census pages and newspaper pages and many others. Why am I paying for this sloppy service??
Typical poor decisions by the Sales and Marketing Glitzers at Ancestry who want pretties and actually do not do Genealogy Research and do not understand those who do serious work. There is a wonderful work and movement inside Ancestry to expand on-line reocrds. Otherwise, almost every decision they make is dumb and made by those who do little if any actual Genealogy and do not understand what and how it is done by real people and not Newcomers to Genealogy!
I also have someone else’s family tree on my home page – I would like to have my own on. Does anyone know how or if this can be changed?
Wow it looks like you got slammed by just about everyone. But I agree the home page should be introducing Ancestry.com and then go to buttons. Years ago the system was very good but I think you out designed yourself.Good Luck Keep trying C Larson
I agree with most of the respondents – what a waste of my time trying to navigate through the new home page! We’re not subscribers to this site for the “glitzy” homepage – we’re here to research. Please quit making it more difficult.
I see all the coomments about someone else’s tree on MY homepage. I have this too. How do I get rid of that tree being shown?
Go back to the old way-was nothing wrong with it. I agree with everyone else.
If something works, why fix it? The search should be the paramount thing, which is hard enough to corral as it is – but now the page seems harder than ever to navigate – I am a relatively new user, but your search aspect is now a lot less user friendly! Please bring back the old home page!!
I like the new layout; it very concise and allows me to add my own “quick links” to frequently used websites or web pages.
For those wanting easy access to the OneWorldTree database, one must simply click on “Add Link” in the “My Quick Links” area to the right and paste the web page address into the URL window that appears and give that location a name, such as “OneWorldTree” in the name box and then click SAVE.
To find OneWorldTree to get the address, simply click on “Ancestry Card Catalog” in the “My Quick Links” area to get to the databases and type OneWorldTree in the “Filter By Keyword(s)” window and click the “Go” button. The page will load – just copy the address from the page and click back to the “Home” page and paste it in the “My Quick Links” area after selecting “Add A Link.” From then on the user will have a quick link to that specific database. Very cool.
I, as most others, don’t care for the advertisements, and I’ve read here that some paying members think their subscription pays for all of Ancestry.com’s activities; I’m sure this is not the case. The advertisements may be necessary, and is certainly less intrusive than those on commercial TV – they can be easily ignored. Besides, I would rather have them so Ancestry.com can continue its work gathering data for users to search and for improving its websites.
I am a long time user of Ancestry and totally frustrated with page changes. Emphasis should be on quality research info, with sharing our finds being secondary. I am not interested in someone else’s tree unless they have it well documented with their sources. When I call up Ancestry I would like to easily be able to input my search info and then beable to select the data bases to search without calling up multiple pages. A listing of my most recent searches is also helpful. I would think family trees are taking up space that could be better used for more data bases and better quality research.
I agree with EVERY NEGATIVE remark – why in the world did you try to fix something that was not broke! I would love to know just who thinks this fiasco is easier to use. Not a genealogist, I bet! Not a frequent user – like me!
No, Jean – you are not the only one to get frustrated with the new system – but I just go back to the old one – which I hope returns for good. Has anyone noticed that on the new system there is no plus or minus so many years option for dates? I really need this option as the dates are rarely exact.
The tree thing at the top of the home page? Get this – the one at the top of my page is not mine at all – it is the name that a person in my family chose to use for a couple of censuses over a hundred years ago because – she was a prostitute and did not want her real name used! No such name in my family. How and Why was this name chosen to top my page? Why even have the tree thing there! Get the old system back – home page and all!
I was going to ask old Santa Claus to bring Ancestry for a Christmas present again this year, but unless it goes back to the old way I will not. I just cannot believe you people! You should be ashamed! Shame! Someone’s face should be scarlett with humiliation for this unnecessary change!
Marypat45
Having been an industrial designer, interactive media consultant the past 20 years-I have to say that the comments are strong and concise, according to my experiences the past few years on Ancestry.com 1)My purpose to use Ancestry is to do research-and the past interface or “HomePage” was clearly more successful-especially backed by the previous “comments”.
And Ancestry can still use their newly designed pages elsewhere within their vastly IMPROVED SITE-just “Tweek-back” the HomePage so it may be more user-friendly, AND not so shocking to the old-timers…namely “take-care of that TREE PROBLEM…(being someone else…”Tree-of-Origin”).
But to the “meat-of-the-matter” for myself…its been a few years and my experience has been totally outstanding with Ancestry before the design change-and I’m a designer…and I like change…but NOT at the expense of customer unhappiness and loss of “Trust” between paid subscriber, as I am,and I will continue to be…BUT what happen to the “Action of getting each States Vital Records-such as Birth Records, Marriage Records, and Death Records!!!!” When I first started collecting my very first few hits from Ancestry.com, I could click -on the State of Massachusetts and find the birth of Delaney in Worcester County in 1898 and follow the list down to Helen J. Delaney to such & such Parents etc. Where did this ability of Ancestry.com disappear to? Why wasn’t there better communication and Public Relations to such a “small” everyday customer service situation, which in the long-run can be solved rather inexpensivessly and easier than to avoid and wait and run into a much more inflamed environment with a group of old loyal cash-paying clients. Is any of this due to the fact that Vital Records.com has contracts with ALL 50 States-supplying records to another market of customers-that stops Ancestry from “completing the mission of getting hold of our ancestry’s Vital-Records from the State they were born, married and died. Please respond. Thank-you for years of service. The truth sets us free. C.A.Delaney
After several years of not having a subscription to ancestry.com–personally, I think the price is still too high!–I was just about to pay for a new subscription. Guess I’ll just wait until those non-genealogical-user marketers grasp how stupid they’ve been with their changes. “New” is not always “improved”.
Get that family tree off the new Home Page! Give it a link to click for those who want to use it. The tree that comes up on my home page is from a one-time census search of a husband of a collateral descendant and has nothing in the tree. How can I delete it? When I clicked two different times on this family tree, my computer froze up completely both times. The new Home Page takes too long to load, and the Quick Links (and Recent Activity spend a long time “loading” – a waste of my time. Keep it simple! The censuses need quick and prominent access, also the UK censuses. I can do a “fuzzy” search with better parameters on my own. Go back to the old home page and old search.
Ruth
All the databases and images available are a blessing but this new home page has got to go. I absolutely hate having to scroll past that family tree business to get to the search area, and I agree with most of the comments concerning other annoyances and frustrations. It’s said that you can get used to anything; however, I really hope we don’t have to get used to this home page mess and that you will listen to your customers. Our complaints are valid.
If I am searching for someone in Ohio between a specific range of years, why do I get so many results that have nothing to do with Ohio or that range of years? Sometimes I will find the person I was looking for after clicking through several pages, when they should have been the first person listed in the results.
I greatly appreciate all your hard work to make more and more information available, but it could be a whole lot easier to find.
As for the advertising, I simply ignore it.
PLEASE, PLEASE provide a link to a simulation of the old home page where one can QUICKLY click on the census year of choice for their search. That was such a timesaver and I personally do NOT like this recent change. Many times my focus at ancestry is about the censuses only and trying to find a family in each one. You can imagine the frustration with the inconsistencies of surname spellings and I for one rarely use the search tab that requires going thru an elimination process if you want to search a name in the census only.
I think this change is cumbersome and believe there will be many other Seasoned researchers who do not find it helpful, but a drain on their time.
Teddy Brock
69 VOTES
1 positive
68 negative. some applaud the new page but then continue with negative views.
I think the message has been sent.
HOLY COW!!!!! I have read a bunch of the responses to new Home Page…Since I am working on a large family photo project I have not gone to Ancestry to do any research and had missed the new “PAGE”. I quickly opened Ancestry to check it out. Just a quick look and I can agree with most of the responses. I personally don’t have a tree but maybe it shouldn’t take primary space in a research site. When I was learning how to hunt for relatives I was taught to check the census first and then look for records in years where the person or family was located. Now the Home Page leaps out with a tree and no census. Sure I can scroll down to search but the location seems out of place. If necessary on Home Page try the bottom for the tree or as suggested give us the option of removing it. My photo project is going to take a lot of time so I hope there will be improvments when I return to research.
Shirley
There are more negative votes in the other blog. Go there and do a new count. You will find a whole lot more than 69 negative votes. Scroll up to the top of this blog and you will find another blog area under UPDATE 7 July 2008.
I agree with a lot of the comments. I don’t like the “family tree” that is on my so-called home page–IT IS NOT MINE!! How do i get it off. I really preferred the old home page.
Tonia
Why change anything?? It was so easy, now it is just a waste of time.
After almost three weeks, there still has been no addressing the basic issues people have with the new home page – removing the (totally inappropriate) family tree, making it more basic and simple (it takes too long to load), putting the censuses back for quick access, etc. I am getting disgusted with Ancestry.com.
I agree with all the people that want the old home page back. Please get rid of the tree. Most people access ancestry to find answers to their questions not to work on their tree. I don’t want to work on my tree every time I get on so go back to old format and get that tree off of there.
IT’S BEEN OVER THREE WEEKS OF FRUSTRATION
I have, by now, read in excess of 200 comments at various Blog pages regarding Ancestry’s Home Page, and a search engine that is supposed to revolutionize our search experience and the results there from. Isn’t it amazing that so many erudite and search engine savy genealogists have expounded on the subject of Ancestry’s new concept in the NEGATIVE and YET that irritating, cumbersome home page continues to EXIST.
Does anyone else feel that the home page presents itself as though you are in a room of strobe lights while being exposed to the Family tree, Quick Links, To-do List & Recent Activity thingamajiggy’s continuous rotations? (sorry folks, not well versed on technical jargon.) GEEZ! They are SO distracting—-and irritating beyond description!!!
I have another issue that must not be shared by others as I’ve not seen it addressed on these blogs. EVERY time I go to Ancestry now, I have to re-enter my login info. I’ve checked my internet options and cookies—ancestry is there in the lineup. I even elected to enter them on an individual basis and click “allow”. Seeing no changes, I opted to dump all the cookies, start over, and repeated the process. I still have to login EVERY time. Any suggestions from the advanced group? Another thing, when it comes to database results I get the default amount of 20, regardless of how many times I set it at 50. Why is that? It used to remember my settings. Both of these changes make me feel I’ve been issued punitive measures for vocalizing my vehement dislike of Ancestry’s ARBITRARY decision to invoke their will on us, irrespective of the functionality and real usefulness of the homepage.
Undoubtedly, there are several thousand subscribers to Ancestry, and frankly, I’m amazed not to see more input from the majority. That would be the SILENT majority—does that infer they are in agreement with Ancesty’s homepage changes—or just content to sit on the sidelines and the let a few others point out the defects and just nod their heads without weighing in the issues? DOES ANCESTRY CONSTRUE THAT AS ACQUIESCENCE? Do the Ancestry representatives calculate the numbers of vocal minority against the silent majority and decide to do nothing based on the percentages???
Well, I object!