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View Full Version : FamilySearch beta site - any tips?

kiterunner
31-10-10, 15:58
I keep seeing a message on the pilot site saying it will soon be closing down and we will have to use the beta site, but I'm having trouble using the beta site! Does anybody have any tips, please? I'm finding that searches on there come up with way too many matches at the moment.
Merry
31-10-10, 16:02
I don't have any tips, and so I'm not finding it easy either! I liked the way you could search a specific area or village on the pilot site, but that doesn't seem to work on the beta one.
ElizabethHerts
31-10-10, 16:23
I keep submitting comments/suggestions, such as retaining the copy and paste feature. Also, if you search you get far too many irrelevant results and it is very difficult to narrow them down.

I much prefer the Pilot site to the Beta site.
They do say they are listening to suggestions - I hope they act on them.
Mary from Italy
31-10-10, 16:23
I've just tried it too, and I really dislike it - not that the old one was much better.

It also seems to be impossible to search for marriages only, for example - whatever you do, it still brings up baptisms and census entries.
maggie_4_7
31-10-10, 16:39
Yep me too. It's not very user/search friendly I always had trouble with the pilot site anyway but it's way better than the beta site.

I was using it yesterday I couldn't specify marriages and I was getting a lot of results and having to look at them all which is the same at the old site but the new one is so heavy it takes an age to find anything.

I quite like the old one or at least the search engine.
maggie_4_7
31-10-10, 16:41
I don't have any tips, and so I'm not finding it easy either! I liked the way you could search a specific area or village on the pilot site, but that doesn't seem to work on the beta one.

Ditto
I don't have any answers though perhaps we need to make a suggestion like ElizabethHerts does.
Merry
31-10-10, 16:47
Ditto
I don't have any answers though perhaps we need to make a suggestion like ElizabethHerts does.


Oooh, wouldn't it be easier to just let Elizabeth make all the suggestions?!! :D:p
maggie_4_7
31-10-10, 16:48
Oooh, wouldn't it be easier to just let Elizabeth make all the suggestions?!! :D:p


errrr yeah :p

... but as 'they' say "life aint that easy baby"... ;)
Merry
31-10-10, 16:53
Oh, I don't know.....

I've just done the identical searches on both sites and got under a page of matches on the pilot site and 3434 results on the beta site!!
ElizabethHerts
31-10-10, 17:01
Oooh, wouldn't it be easier to just let Elizabeth make all the suggestions?!! :D:p

Now, no passing the buck here, Merry! :d
Anyhow, my suggestions might be rubbish.:d:d:d
Sue from Southend
31-10-10, 17:20
I'm struggling with it too. Perhaps if we made up list of things we think could be improved and all bombarded the LDS with our ideas they might take notice!!

Can I add the print option please? You can only print one record at a time whereas you used to be able to print a family group on the orginal site (not sure about the pilot site)
Jenoco
31-10-10, 17:46
You don't seem to be able to specify the location you want to search either. Even though I put in place of birth as England I get all the US records first. I've tried putting in in place of death as well, but that doesn't help.
Nell
01-11-10, 20:04
I've found I keep getting lots of US information too. Plus, if it asks for a woman's married name why does it then come up with burials in her maiden name?!
Uncle John
01-11-10, 20:27
All these problems sound like bugs in the indexing. Hopefully they'll suddenly get it right.
Joy Dean
01-11-10, 21:59
There is the advanced search.
kiterunner
01-11-10, 22:42
I was trying the advanced search when I posted this thread. I wish they would let us keep the pilot site.
Merry
02-11-10, 05:54
I wish they would let us keep the pilot site.

Me too. It's a bit quirky, but a lot better than the beta site at the moment. (and quirky probably suits me!)