Findmypast search changes?

[Bob Spiers]

Perhaps in the wrong place given these postings concern Ancestry, but I have a niggle about FMP searching which seems to have changed and is bugging me. Can someone can point out what I can do to cause it to produce results as they always did.

The first is the default seems to have switched 'World' instead of 'Britain'. If I want World I can select it but for general searching I want and expect it to default to Britain. I have not changed anything and even if I select Britain, next time it will revert to World. How do I set the default back to Britain?

The next thing seems to be a change in the way FMP shows results for generalised BMD searches . It used to produce a list of (say) 20+ to a page and you scrolled down and clicked on the one wanted for more extensive detail. Now the listing seem to include the additional detail up front and it now takes ages to scroll through items until you find the one you want. Of course if it only displays two or three items it is no big deal, but with 50 or more results -and that is quite common - you lose the will to live!

I emphasise I have changed nothing so it appears to have auto updated and the changes came with the update.

 

[jorghes]

Perhaps in the wrong place given these postings concern Ancestry, but I have a niggle about FMP searching which seems to have changed and is bugging me. Can someone can point out what I can do to cause it to produce results as they always did.

The first is the default seems to have switched 'World' instead of 'Britain'. If I want World I can select it but for general searching I want and expect it to default to Britain. I have not changed anything and even if I select Britain, next time it will revert to World. How do I set the default back to Britain?

The next thing seems to be a change in the way FMP shows results for generalised BMD searches . It used to produce a list of (say) 20+ to a page and you scrolled down and clicked on the one wanted for more extensive detail. Now the listing seem to include the additional detail up front and it now takes ages to scroll through items until you find the one you want. Of course if it only displays two or three items it is no big deal, but with 50 or more results -and that is quite common - you lose the will to live!

I emphasise I have changed nothing so it appears to have auto updated and the changes came with the update.

I find it easier to search on FMP by using the A-Z of records and just picking out the specific records that I want to search. I have unfortunately often found FMP more awkward than Ancestry - possibly because frequently I find the receptiveness of its buttons to seemingly be lacking (i.e. everytime I attempt to update or add records to my family tree I feel like I'm pressing the button three or four times before it actually registers I've done so.)

Just a thought - do you have a Britain or a World membership?

 

[Bob Spiers]

Just a thought - do you have a Britain or a World membership?

I have a World subscription in both Ancestry & FMP. The latter from about a year ago, but the change to a 'World' search default has only just happened and I have to change my searching to Britain each time I open its tab. (Of course I may have to ask FMP about both my queries if none of the learned members of the Forum can help).

As for A-Z records I invariably select those when searching Censuses and think that an improvement over Ancestry, but other than that it is a bit of a Hobson's choice; you either find what you want or you don't. You have to type in a keyword and hope something shows up of interest. I appear to be researching areas where FMP has scant content, or have not yet learned the trick of second guessing the way it is listed. So unless I hit on something quickly, or recall a topic from past searches, I find it easier to use a General Search and select from the 'All Categories' menu.

Overall I prefer Ancestry searching (a) because I like to search via my Tree so the input is already there and (b) even if using just as a search medium I can provide full information and then alter percentage emphasises to optimise a quick result ; (doesn't always work of course). FMP requires the opposite -minimal input (as Peter often points out) - but that can be quite frustrating, especially when it finds nothing with a town or county included and then after sifting through a page or two of results, you find the one you want with the town or county showing.

In the end I liken both Ancestry & FMP to the little girl of the nursery rhyme...'when they are good, they are very-very good, but when they are bad they are horrid' But I wouldn't be without either!

 

[Bob Spiers]

I have had a response from FMP who advise..."These new updates are there to make Findmypast an easier search engine to use"...adding..."we are sorry if you are unhappy with these changes due to the update" So mirroring Microsoft's approach to things, they decide (what is best) and we (have to) accept. They do say ..."all comments are read and noted ...and may be included in any future development". I say yes, perhaps, if enough people complain - again like Microsoft - but I doubt otherwise!

They point out ..."I can change the default per search to allow just for British records", which is stating the obvious and of course I have to do this with each new search session.

I'm not a happy bunny and it has done nothing to enamour me to FMP, so thank goodness for the 1939 Register which remains the jewel in its crown.

 

[Bryman]

They point out ..."I can change the default per search to allow just for British records", which is stating the obvious and of course I have to do this with each new search session.

That is one of the similar 'features' of Ancestry that I detest - each census search defaults to include USA rather than just UK. If I start to complete some fields before I remember then such entries are lost and have to be re-entered.

Why can't the user set the default and then change it when appropriate? I would expect that to require trivial changes to their systems and make a lot of users happy.

 

[Heather]

The first is the default seems to have switched 'World' instead of 'Britain'. If I want World I can select it but for general searching I want and expect it to default to Britain. I have not changed anything and even if I select Britain, next time it will revert to World. How do I set the default back to Britain?

Just a thought Bob, but when you click on whatever to get into FMP is the address still FMP UK ? I'm not a very technical person but I thought that might make a difference.

 

[Susan48]

Just a thought Bob, but when you click on whatever to get into FMP is the address still FMP UK ? I'm not a very technical person but I thought that might make a difference.

I have a World subscription to Findmypast and have just logged on. The address is findmypast.co.uk, and the default if I select the Search option is Britain and, as far as I can remember, always has been.

 

[Bob Spiers]

That is one of the similar 'features' of Ancestry that I detest - each census search defaults to include USA rather than just UK. If I start to complete some fields before I remember then such entries are lost and have to be re-entered.

Why can't the user set the default and then change it when appropriate? I would expect that to require trivial changes to their systems and make a lot of users happy.

I empathise with you Bryman. Last year instead of my normal UK & Ireland searches I needed to do some extensive USA searching in Ancestry and found the reverse of your problem, it kept defaulting to UK & Ireland. Just when I had enough of this and couldn't find an obvious solution , the US default stayed. You can guess what came next, I needed to change back to UK & Ireland. Like you I was stuck with United States. In time the UK & Ireland default stayed put, so I deduced it learned by rote, provided it was a continuous process.

Then came my extensive need to do Australian searches and for a while I did little else, so now I had to manually select Australia. For the life of me I cannot recall exactly what I did to expedite an Australian default, but I think it began by going to my Home page and conducting an Australian search from there. The moment I returned to searching from within my Tree the Australian default stayed in place. I put up with the odd need to change back to UK whilst in my Australian mode, and only when finished did I again revert to a Home page search, opting for UK & Ireland. After that my standard search remained...until the next time of course.

Make of all that what you will and I am sure someone, somewhere will explain how it can be accomplished more easily; until then I will try the Home page method.

 

[Bob Spiers]

Just a thought Bob, but when you click on whatever to get into FMP is the address still FMP UK ? I'm not a very technical person but I thought that might make a difference.

Good question actually, and even though I 'pin' FMP UK as a browser tab and open in the same way each time, it did occur to me to check it had not suddenly switched to a US or AU version. It hadn't and so the update applied itself to my UK version, and I expect globally as well.

 

[peter]

I have a World subscription to Findmypast and have just logged on. The address is findmypast.co.uk, and the default if I select the Search option is Britain and, as far as I can remember, always has been.

Same here.

 

[Bob Spiers]

I have a World subscription to Findmypast and have just logged on. The address is findmypast.co.uk, and the default if I select the Search option is Britain and, as far as I can remember, always has been.

Well count your blessings Susan because you clearly haven't had a visit from the update fairy, and until about a week ago I would have said the same. FMP mentioned it was part of an update, and that I could of course select Britain before searching.

I see they offer 'old search' so may see if that appeals. If not perhaps one of my other machines still has the old style FMP.

By the way are your results also 'old style' - one line entries- as that will be the real clincher?

 

[Bob Spiers]

In the interest of experimentation (my forte) I noted that when I opened FMP this morning it opened on yesterday's saved (UK) search results page. By clicking on 'new search' from the same page, that too would allow another UK search. I next clicked on the main Search tab at the top (the one with a magnifying glass icon alongside), and right clicked to allow it to open in a New tab. That opened in pre-set 'World' mode. In theory I now had two tabs to select from; one 'World' one 'Britain', but sadly a NEW search from the UK page, defaulted to World and had to be reset to Britain.

And this is all without commenting on the new results formulae which to me is more troublesome that changing the default mode.

 

[Bob Spiers]

I attach an FMP screenshot showing 4404 results. I know this result is a little outrageous but nevertheless came from just entering a name and then 'Marriages'. But look how complicated it has all become. Instead of examining each result line-by-line, one now has to scroll through umpteen pages. Remember the screenshot shows just the FIRST item with 4403 to follow




You will be saved further comment on this current subject as I am out later today and tomorrow for my Father's day treat.

 

[Susan48]

Well count your blessings Susan because you clearly haven't had a visit from the update fairy, and until about a week ago I would have said the same. FMP mentioned it was part of an update, and that I could of course select Britain before searching.

I see they offer 'old search' so may see if that appeals. If not perhaps one of my other machines still has the old style FMP.

By the way are your results also 'old style' - one line entries- as that will be the real clincher?

I've just checked, Bob, and I get 20 results per page - one line entries.

I wonder how FMP roll out their update? If it's by member surname I should get it soon after you (surname begins St***), but perhaps it's date of subscription renewal, membership number or something else entirely.

 

[Bob Spiers]

I've just checked, Bob, and I get 20 results per page - one line entries.

Yes certainly old style, and you'll know if it changes.

I wonder how FMP roll out their update? If it's by member surname I should get it soon after you (surname begins St***), but perhaps it's date of subscription renewal, membership number or something else entirely.

I've been pondering when it happened and thinking back am pretty sure it began after my Firefox browser auto updated and all my pre-set tabs disappeared. Not an uncommon thing with browser updates and I knew if I clicked on a new tab I would find FMP showing among 'most visited sites' (I could also have found it in my Favourites). Either way a simple matter to pin it back in place, but as I did not use FMP that day or for that matter quite a few days, I only discovered the update scenario a couple of days ago.

So in a way I may have jumped a queue as the new FMP came with the new browser. That said it is surely waiting in the wings and certainly anyone newly joining FMP will likely receive that version. I use different browsers for different applications (on different machines as well), so I have yet to see if I can locate the old style using a different browser. That will have to wait until after the weekend but will post if it works.

 

[peter]

Bob, I would suggest using a different browser. It looks to me as if your computer is being incorrectly being identified as a tablet or smartphone (I'm assuming you don't have a very small browser window).

 

[Bob Spiers]

Bob, I would suggest using a different browser. It looks to me as if your computer is being incorrectly being identified as a tablet or smartphone (I'm assuming you don't have a very small browser window).

Well my browser window is PC standard but you of all people will be pleased to know that when I opened FMP using Chrome on a Laptop, it opened up as the old familiar FMP and with Britain as default. It is more convenient to have FMP on one of my two PC's for everyday use, alongside Ancestry (which opens in Edge) but if it means getting back the old FMP, then Chrome it shall be. I will post the results.

 

[Rhian]

I must say I would be as pleased as Bob if I got that sort of results display, I certainly only get the old style display whether searching bt region or what they term 'world'.
One difference is that I have 3 FMP views open all the time, for different research branches so I am never restarting FMP and the 'puter runs 24/7 as well, using vivaldi browser which is not mainstream. Peters suggestion that your browser is miss identified does seem the best explanation.

 

[Bob Spiers]

One difference is that I have 3 FMP views open all the time, for different research branches so I am never restarting FMP and the 'puter runs 24/7 as well, using vivaldi browser which is not mainstream. Peters suggestion that your browser is miss identified does seem the best explanation.

No mainstream you are certainly Rhian, but in my own way neither am I, although I do not have the same IT technical 'know-how' as you. I have experimented with a few different browsers including Vivaldi, but always reverted back to the faithful few.

I am still puzzling over the 'mis-identification' suggested by Peter and will explore further; meanwhile FMP behaves well in Chrome so am reasonably content for now.

 

[Rhian]

No mainstream you are certainly Rhian, but in my own way neither am I, although I do not have the same IT technical 'know-how' as you. I have experimented with a few different browsers including Vivaldi, but always reverted back to the faithful few.

I am still puzzling over the 'mis-identification' suggested by Peter and will explore further; meanwhile FMP behaves well in Chrome so am reasonably content for now.

Oh I am so not mainstream in oh so many ways, part of making life interesting.

Many browsers have some 'hidden' setting that allows the browser to report itself or the operating system as something different which is, I think, what Peter was referring to, or it could be that the version number is new and not recognised by the website yet so it defaults to a 'safe' option which will display on anything. I am not sure how to check or alter the setting in your browser as I only use vivaldi or, if I need more security, Tor.