Ancestry Site Comments - Family History & Genealogy Message Board

Re: Double Spacing in place fields after commas when saving Ancestry.com extracts of whatever items to Trees

mbmjlm — 2009-11-10 04:35:41Z

Message from Kenny today. Double spacing problem should be fixed sometime tonight-11-9-2009. In response to my asking why these things happen, he says they check and double check but things get through anyway. In my opinion, too many things like this get through.

Re: Double Spacing in place fields after commas when saving Ancestry.com extracts of whatever items to Trees

xandervan — 2009-11-10 03:19:14Z

"Attention whoever on staff is doing this, in WV the given name 'Icie' is short for 'Isophene' and is **not** the same name as 'Essie.' 'Sena' and 'Cena' are short for 'Aseneth', and quite unrelated to Serena, Lena, and Celia."

No, but they sure do *sound* alike, and I'd rather see them than have to perform eight separate searches to cover all the bases.

Re: Double Spacing in place fields after commas when saving Ancestry.com extracts of whatever items to Trees

AGHatchett3rd — 2009-11-10 02:44:05Z

DRAT!

Kebby's=Kenny's

Sorry Kenny!

Re: Double Spacing in place fields after commas when saving Ancestry.com extracts of whatever items to Trees

AGHatchett3rd — 2009-11-09 17:52:15Z

Kebby's e-mail said "Monday". I assume that means today. He gave no specific time but I'm sure that he meant Monday as defined by Utah time.

They are also rolling out the new entry thingie on the search today so it may take some time.

Re: Double Spacing in place fields after commas when saving Ancestry.com extracts of whatever items to Trees

roncon60 — 2009-11-09 17:44:09Z

When was this location mess supposed to be fixed? Anyone hear anything from Ancestry? It's now Monday afternoon my time and the locations are still showing extra spaces....

Re: Help, Ancestry Subscriber Died!

AGHatchett3rd — 2009-11-09 10:38:21Z

It is my understanding that some people use Excel spreadsheets for their genealogy and I was told Excel can't handle dates after 3000.

Re: Help, Ancestry Subscriber Died!

xandervan — 2009-11-09 08:02:03Z

"...and fake dates of death- like died 3000..."

Why so short-sighted, Andy?

Re: Help, Ancestry Subscriber Died!

AGHatchett3rd — 2009-11-09 07:42:48Z

If you do a WorldConnect with sources and fake dates of death- like died 3000- it is all public and taken care of :)

Re: Help, Ancestry Subscriber Died!

jmyoung365 — 2009-11-09 07:21:27Z

Yes--but you still need to think about how you want the databases handled when you can't care for them--do you want others to take over and keep them up to date? Do you just want others to be able to access them and copy them and use them?

Also--where you publish the databases is important because, if you put all of the information on a Web site where you pay for hosting--and no one continues to pay for the hosting, then your site will eventually be removed.

Joan

Re: Help, Ancestry Subscriber Died!

AGHatchett3rd — 2009-11-09 07:14:11Z

If you use the PO-DE!(tm) system you don't have to worry with all that.

PO-DE!=Publish Often-Distribute Everywhere!

;)

Re: Help, Ancestry Subscriber Died!

jmyoung365 — 2009-11-09 07:05:51Z

Actually, this is a matter everyone of us needs to think about--what happens to our genealogical research when we can no longer take care of it. I did an article for the RootsWeb Review about this subject and you can find it in the archives here: http://ftp.rootsweb.ancestry.com/pub/review/2008/0409.html#U...

Joan

Re: Help, Ancestry Subscriber Died!

Selena_Stary — 2009-11-09 01:37:27Z

Thanks! I guess I will just have to hope that someday, someone will make it available.

Re: Help, Ancestry Subscriber Died!

jmyoung365 — 2009-11-09 01:11:19Z

I can't speak for Ancestry trees specifically but I do know the policy for RootsWeb and WorldConnect regarding trees and it may well be the same:

A family tree is a possession of the submitter and, as such, is passed to the person's heirs when the person dies. As such, the heirs would have the right to have the tree removed, let it remain on file as a starting place for others (although there is a difference here in that the WC trees are public and accessible to everyone and Post-em Notes can be added to them with corrections and additions). The heirs would also have the right to continue with the tree or turn it over to someone else researching the same family.

Joan

Re: Help, Ancestry Subscriber Died!

frostfreedet — 2009-11-08 23:57:19Z

For policy matters, call customer service, 1-800-ancestr.

Help, Ancestry Subscriber Died!

Selena_Stary — 2009-11-08 23:46:49Z

Anyone know what happens to private member trees when the subscriber dies? I was contacted by someone that has a private tree who then died in 2008. His data is now locked away from everyone.

Does Ancestry have an access policy to address this situation?

Re: Advertising/Spam on message boards

meekernj — 2009-11-08 02:18:33Z

Joan, I agree.

When I report these messages to Ancestry, I click on the sender's name in the message -- which takes me to the person's profile. Then I "report abuse" from there. That way the "abuse report" is for the message sender -- not just one message. In my message to the Ancestry staff I reported that this person sent 415 messages in one day -- all the same wording except for the actual family surname for the book. In the subject of my message I put the words ABUSE and SPAM. I don't think Ancestry could misunderstand the problem. And they have deleted the messages -- at least the ones I checked.

This has happened several times in the past. I know Ancestry is probably busy right now, but it seems to me that it is time for them to take it to "ancestral books" directly. Just deleting the messages doesn't seem to be working.

Sharon

Re: Advertising/Spam on message boards

jmyoung365 — 2009-11-08 02:02:23Z

The only problem with this is if the board admin deletes the single post you stuck the objection on before checking their objections staff will never know--unless, of course, you mark a board YOU admin and then you know not to delete it but rather to leave it for staff.

Joan

Re: They're changing search again- for the better!

JoMac53 — 2009-11-08 01:30:41Z

That upgrade link is there no matter what screen I'm on.

It's in case I want to upgrade back up to the World Deluxe Membership, which I just downgraded from recently to the US Deluxe Membership.

Re: They're changing search again- for the better!

JoMac53 — 2009-11-07 22:33:09Z

Well, one thing I hope they address before I'm forced to use new search is making it work correctly with Firefox. See attached screen shot.

Re: They're changing search again- for the better!

JoMac53 — 2009-11-07 22:27:08Z

pjbuk007,
If you use FF you can download the TableTools addon to sort any column by various criteria. I uploaded some screen shots to show examples in the "a Firefox extension every Ancestry user should have" thread the other day on the Ancestry Site Comments board.

Re: They're changing search again- for the better!

JoMac53 — 2009-11-07 22:22:53Z

I do think the hot key implementation by default on new search will be an improvement to new search. I didn't mean to sound like I didn't.

The hot keys don't and won't work with old search, but the programmers could correct the fields from losing all the search data whenever you progress to a new database in one search. I had noticed the search terms used to show up in the "keywords" field but it seems to me I haven't seen that lately. Not sure, though, I may have just started ignoring it.

I will hold out from using new search until I'm forced to, then I'll learn it by total immersion.

Re: They're changing search again- for the better!

JoMac53 — 2009-11-07 22:07:49Z

"But did you notice when you use the CTLR N, it opens a new window instead of a new tab? I think it would be better to just open a new tab in Windows and not a new window."

keywester114,
You don't use CTLR N, just N or R by itself. There is a Hot Key list down on the lower left side:

Hot Keys

* n - New search
* r - Refine search
* p - Preview current record
* > - Highlight next record
* < - Highlight previous record

Re: They're changing search again- for the better!

JoMac53 — 2009-11-07 20:05:45Z

And for those of us who use old search exclusively, will the "refine search" funtion keep the data fields populated with anything more than the name, if even that?

Of course not. They want us to give in and use new search so why would they make any improvements, or even fixes, to old search.

Re: Advertising/Spam on message boards

JoMac53 — 2009-11-07 05:54:02Z

The staff has a global removal tool they can use. I've read you can report it via the "Report Abuse" link at the bottom of the message and put something in the subject about it being cross-posted to many boards and needing the attention of staff, like Attn Staff, cross posted spam or Attn Staff, spam posted on hundreds of boards, or something similar.

Re: Where is my shoebox please

drvebv — 2009-11-05 23:09:15Z

Did you find the shoe box. I checked the tabs above and there is not one named 'my ancestry'. Someone needs to get busy to change the homepage to indicate where the shoe box ia. Too many people asking about it that indicates a real problem with the site.

Advertising/Spam on message boards

meekernj — 2009-11-07 02:51:43Z

Several times in the last few weeks, a person has joined Ancestry and on the same day sent out dozens or even hundreds of messages to surname boards regarding family history books for sale with a CD. The wording of the message is the same for every family book advertised. Today the person is StellaS77 who has sent 415 advertising messages so far.

I contacted Ancestry several times about this. I don't know what they are doing to stop it.

I urge anyone who sees these messages NOT to click on the link for the company being advertised -- and NOT to purchase anything from them.

Re: Advertising/Spam on message boards

AGHatchett3rd — 2009-11-07 04:15:28Z

The point is Ancestry can't stop it as long as they have free public message boards.

If such postings were to mailing lists directly then Ancestry could simply block the domain. Message boards are different.

Re: Double Spacing in place fields after commas when saving Ancestry.com extracts of whatever items to Trees

AGHatchett3rd — 2009-11-06 20:49:28Z

I really think I'd be more interested in Kenny's answers to your questions than a date as to when it will be fixed!
*GRIN*

Re: Where is my shoebox please

AGHatchett3rd — 2009-11-06 01:33:02Z

The Shoebox is on your Home Page. Just exactly where on your homepage depends on how you have customized your home page.

If you don't see it just click the "Customize Your Home Page" link in the upper right corner of your home page.

Re: Double Spacing in place fields after commas when saving Ancestry.com extracts of whatever items to Trees

AGHatchett3rd — 2009-11-06 01:05:04Z

Ahhhh... so *that's* why he didn't show up.

;)

Re: They're changing search again- for the better!

AGHatchett3rd — 2009-11-07 21:06:50Z

I have no idea how, if at all, it will work with old search, but I'm willing to wait and see. I do know that this will help with the few times that I use new search.

As you say- eventually new search will be the only search; that time, however, doesn't seem to be in the immediate future.

In the mean time ,as they try and improve new search, I'll try it and try to get used to it so that when the day does come I'll be somewhat comfortable with it.

That, to me, seems the only logical thing to do as I'm not fond of banging my head against a stone wall while knowing the chances of holding onto the present are not in my favor.

This old dog, can, and eventually will, learn some new tricks. *grin*

Re: Double Spacing in place fields after commas when saving Ancestry.com extracts of whatever items to Trees

AGHatchett3rd — 2009-11-06 02:45:34Z

[QUOTE]

Attention whoever on staff is doing this, in WV the given name 'Icie' is short for 'Isophene' and is **not** the same name as 'Essie.' 'Sena' and 'Cena' are short for 'Aseneth', and quite unrelated to Serena, Lena, and Celia.
[END QUOTE]

You should send this to Anne Mitchell so that , hopefully, she can get it input to the "Name Authority".

They're changing search again- for the better!

AGHatchett3rd — 2009-11-07 18:54:55Z

This will really help- no more re-keying search parameters!

http://blogs.ancestry.com/ancestry/

Re: Advertising/Spam on message boards

AGHatchett3rd — 2009-11-07 07:58:01Z

I mark one abuse and I just put:
"ATTN: Staff- AncestralBooks-again"

:)

Re: They're changing search again- for the better!

AGHatchett3rd — 2009-11-07 21:43:26Z

Let's just say that this change give me a bit more hope that they are finally moving in the right direction.

I'd still like to see a bit more openness when it comes to acknowledging ongoing problems and solid explanations of how those problems came about and what steps were taken to prevent them in the future.

Who knows? Now that they have to answer to stockholders, of which I am one, we may finally see that! *grin*

Re: They're changing search again- for the better!

AGHatchett3rd — 2009-11-07 23:35:01Z

Interesting!

I'm not getting that at all and I'm using FF.
I'm running Vista Home Premium.

I notice that in the upper right hand corner there is a link that says "Upgrade".

Just how did you get to that screen?

Re: Spacing in Location Names is Major Messed Up!

AGHatchett3rd — 2009-11-07 22:03:23Z

This has been addressed in another thread- see:

http://boards.ancestry.com/topics.ancestry.ancsite/10379.1.1...

Re: They're changing search again- for the better!

AGHatchett3rd — 2009-11-07 21:59:08Z

This specific change wasn't meant, as far as I can tell, to address any issue other that making it easier to enter search parameters and then, if needed, to modify those parameters.

I'm sure that specificity, sensitivity, layout, and sort ability will eventually be addressed also.

You also have to remember that Ancestry isn't "a" database, but rather a collection of databases and that that somewhat complicates matters.

I'm one of Ancestry's harshest critics but, imho, they did ok on this particular change.

Re: a Firefox extension every Ancestry user should have

crisg580 — 2009-11-06 08:32:16Z

Awesome extension, thanks for the tip.

Re: Double Spacing in place fields after commas when saving Ancestry.com extracts of whatever items to Trees

mbmjlm — 2009-11-06 19:32:49Z

Re: e mail message from Kenny Freestone-this issue will be fixed next Monday. My question to him: Why isn't there some oversight to these programmers who change code willy-nilly without checking to see just what they are doing. Are there any consequences and does anyone at Ancestry even care. Looks like they depend on us-the poor users who are at their mercy-to find and report the nutty things they do. Maybe a game to see how many people recognize something has been messed up??? Do they keep score!!!

Re: Double Spacing in place fields after commas when saving Ancestry.com extracts of whatever items to Trees

mbmjlm — 2009-11-06 22:01:20Z

If Kenny answers my questions, I will pass them along. I doubt I will get answers though.

Re: They're changing search again- for the better!

mbmjlm — 2009-11-07 21:13:20Z

That is my feeling also. A subtle way to lead us down the garden path of least resistance. I'm sure this does not apply to "old search" either. Too many promises left undone-too many glitches all the time. So we are supposed to believe this time???

Re: They're changing search again- for the better!

mbmjlm — 2009-11-07 19:53:33Z

Changing for the better remains to be seen. In my opinion, we have been led down the garden path too many times to believe in what we are told.

Re: a Firefox extension every Ancestry user should have

grally250 — 2009-11-06 15:27:29Z

Exactly. Whenever I post a link I provide a brief description. Just seems like the proper *etiquette*

Re: a Firefox extension every Ancestry user should have

pjbuk007 — 2009-11-06 14:53:09Z

Looks good; will give it a try.

Thanks for p[posting that.

Re: They're changing search again- for the better!

pjbuk007 — 2009-11-07 21:32:06Z

Have read the blog post, and cannot see any real way in which this will be an improvement. The search results, both in content (specificity and sensitivity) and layout along one line (so easily eyeballed), were much better 4-5 years ago.

And any database worth its' salt should be able to let one order the results by, say, YOB or county, or whatever the displayed headings are.

For serious research, Ancestry seems to be going downhill. And seems to have no one with a research background on their programming team.

Re: They're changing search again- for the better!

keywester114 — 2009-11-07 21:57:22Z

But did you notice when you use the CTLR N, it opens a new window instead of a new tab? I think it would be better to just open a new tab in Windows and not a new window.

Spacing in Location Names is Major Messed Up!

keywester114 — 2009-11-07 21:44:56Z

Every record I have worked on today has extra spaces in the location names fields. You can even edit the spaces out, close the record and then go back to it and it is wrong again. Major faux pas! Whoever writes their software must be a major twit!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Re: Double Spacing in place fields after commas when saving Ancestry.com extracts of whatever items to Trees

frostfreedet — 2009-11-06 21:00:43Z

I can live with wonky tree hints since I never connect them and only have to look at them to make the stupid leaf go away. Wish there was a way to not accept without having to look at the dern things.

I'd much rather they work on fixing misspelt and nonexistent place names in sundry databases, which are a much wider searching problem. E.g., searching for X surname in Worcester Co, MA will not bring up the results that are indexed as being for Worb, MA; for Y in Worcester Co., MD will not bring up the reults that are indexed as for Worchester Co, MD; for Z in Somerset Co, ME will not bring up the results that are indexed as for Somersetshire, ME.

Re: Double Spacing in place fields after commas when saving Ancestry.com extracts of whatever items to Trees

frostfreedet — 2009-11-06 01:59:51Z

They might've. This double-space routine started a few days ago, obviously a dandy new piece of self-executing code.

Not a one-time deal like making Census images or entire databases disappear.

There seems to be a special gremlin who thinks stuff up over the weekend and installs it on Mondays.

Also somebody's been wonking around with the Search Engine. Tree Hints are getting lots less relevant. Like for people not with same first name, nowhere near same birth-year, nowhere near same birth-state, etc.

Attention whoever on staff is doing this, in WV the given name 'Icie' is short for 'Isophene' and is **not** the same name as 'Essie.' 'Sena' and 'Cena' are short for 'Aseneth', and quite unrelated to Serena, Lena, and Celia. Heheheheh.