Findmypast has new look

[peter]

Findmypast have relaunched their UK site with a new look and a new logo. What do you think?

Note: as this change hasn't been rolled out to their other sites yet you can compare the two (you can log-in at any site).

 

[jorghes]

Interesting such a dramatic change in the colours.

 

[At home in NZ]

It still does not make me want to subscribe. What is interesting is the difference in prices and types of subscriptions available.

UK choices are Starter, Plus or Pro. Pros is currently £156
At today’s rate Pro would cost NZD316.94

AU choices are the same. Pro is currently AUD300
At today’s rate Pro would cost NZD318.40

Not a lot in it but IF I were to subscribe I would plump for UK because I am UK born as were all my immediate ancestors.

US choices are Essential British and Irish or Ultimate British and Irish.
Ultimate is currently USD179 or NZD277.39
BUT, it would appear on the surface that the rest of the world isn’t included, so no real comparison can be made.

I am a staunch supporter of Ancestry and my renewal in May was £224.99, I was charged NZD449.11 plus NZD9.43 for offshore margin fee (greedy bank).
Expensive yes, but I have my 5 private trees there and I like the navigation.

 

[PhilGee]

I have been trying to find what has changed as I had not noticed anything different

I have an entry on my bookmarks toolbar that takes me to the "A-Z search" page and I navigate from there, so I had not seen the "home" page which is the only one that seems to have changed!

At the moment my vote is "none of the above"!

Phil

 

[Pauline]

I've just cast my vote to say I don't like it, but it is not so much the design as that other less visible recent changes mean I can now only get the mobile version of the site on my computer, which is less good.

I took this up with FMP support a while back and I thought they were going to fix it. In the meantime I had a found an acceptable workaround, but with this new design, I find that no longer works.

I expect I will eventually find another workaround but it's annoying to have to.

I find myself wondering why I get the mobile version of the site on my desktop computer, and the desktop version on my iPad.

 

[Bob Spiers]

the "home" page which is the only one that seems to have changed!

At first viewing I tend to agree with that as the search pages seem to be as before. But will leave my vote as Interesting, although only just!

 

[Bob Spiers]

It still does not make me want to subscribe

I am a staunch supporter of Ancestry

I too am a staunch supporter of Ancestry, and even though I later considered FMP might be a better, or alternative option (and eventually subscribed) I am of the firm conclusion both have something to offer, with Ancestry a clear winner on DNA.

 

[peter]

What is interesting is the difference in prices and types of subscriptions available.

Other than the Starter subscriptions, all of the Findmypast sites offer the same subscriptions, even if the names and descriptions differ. Have you ever done a comparison of prices at Ancestry? I suspect not - given how much you are paying (UK prices include 20% VAT).

I too am a staunch supporter of Ancestry, and even though I later considered FMP might be a better, or alternative option (and eventually subscribed) I am of the firm conclusion both have something to offer

It doesn't matter how good site X is, if the records you need are at site Y. Very few parish registers can be accessed at both of the main sites, and that's why most people have to subscribe to both - maybe not all the time, but some of the time.

Even where there is an overlap there are often differences resulting from errors and omissions - for example, Ancestry have some census records that don't exist at Findmypast. while Findmypast have WW1 army records that don't exist at Ancestry. And that's without considering transcription variations.

 

[Pauline]

I find myself wondering why I get the mobile version of the site on my desktop computer, and the desktop version on my iPad.

And I've just discovered that this has changed, and I am now getting the same inferior version of the site on my iPad, and requesting the desktop site doesn't have any effect. The more I use it the more I dislike it - it is so inconvenient not having the full menu with drop-downs at the top of the page. I know there is a hamburger on the right you can use for navigation but it's nowhere near as convenient.

On my desktop computer I have also had to reduce the browser magnification as the font size on the new style results page is much too large.

Hopefully these are teething problems, and will be fixed asap.

 

[peter]

On my desktop computer I have also had to reduce the browser magnification as the font size on the new style results page is much too large.

You must be seeing a different results page from me:

 

[Helen7]

the "home" page which is the only one that seems to have changed!

Same for me. The home page has changed, but as soon as I go to any search page - except the 1939 Map search - it goes back to the old logo and layout.

 

[Pauline]

You must be seeing a different results page from me:

Yes, I am, that’s the problem. The page I am getting for search results is, like the homepage and others in the new design, missing some of the menu items and has no drop-downs on the remaining ones.

I have to round the houses to navigate the site now instead of the previous one click.

 

[peter]

Yes, I am, that’s the problem. The page I am getting for search results is, like the homepage and others in the new design, missing some of the menu items and has no drop-downs on the remaining ones.

I have to round the houses to navigate the site now instead of the previous one click.

Sounds to me as if your browser window isn't wide enough - I get a different display if I reduce the size.

 

[Pauline]

Sounds to me as if your browser window isn't wide enough - I get a different display if I reduce the size.

I know, but my browser windows are as wide as they will go on both my computer monitor and on my iPad. I used to get all the menu options and drop-downs in the menu bar on both of these, and still do on the old style pages, but someone in their infinite wisdom has decided I’m better off with fewer items in the menu bar, and lots of empty space instead.

 

[At home in NZ]

Have you ever done a comparison of prices at Ancestry? I suspect not - given how much you are paying (UK prices include 20% VAT).

I tried that today, doesn't really work very well as they have special prices for 6 months. Having said that UK and AU are neck and neck and US is cheaper.

According to GOV.UK goods and services provided outside of UK and EU are still zero rated.
I have checked my account history and tax has only been applied to the last 2 years but it's creative accounting because the total is the same as the previous two years.

The price I quoted was what had been charged to my Visa but I've now discovered a refund due to a doubling up of Fold3 sub. I was already subscribing when they decided to include it in All Access.
It would appear I am paying Ancestry the same as I have paid for the past 4 years, £179.99. I can't say there is anything else I pay for that has stayed the same price for 4 years.

 

[Bryman]

I can't say there is anything else I pay for that has stayed the same price for 4 years.

LostCousins?

 

[Pauline]

Here's a couple of screenshots showing the difference I am getting with the new design on both my computer & on my iPad, and which so far I seem unable to change on either.

Old style:


New style:


Although both look smaller in these images than they appear in real life, the old style menu bar was very easy to use. The new style one is missing the most used menu bar item (the search drop-down), has lots of unnecessary empty space, and an 'in your face' Upgrade button.

Also, as I mentioned before, some of the fonts on some of the new style pages are overly large, and I've had to reduce my browser magnification to 90% to get them to a more reasonable size.

 

[Helen7]

On my computer, I get this at the top of the Home screen:



However, if I then reduce the width of the window on my computer screen, I get the same display as Pauline, with no dropdowns and a big gap. I also get the same screen as Pauline on my iPad - except I don't get the Upgrade button (presumably because I already have a Pro subscription). It seems they haven't optimised the display for tablet or small computer screen use.

When I click on any of the links in the dropdown Search menu (from the full display above), it reverts to the old-style display as shown in Pauline's post.

A work in progress, I think.

 

[Pauline]

A work in progress, I think.

When I was in touch with FMP a while back, when the drop-downs etc first disappeared from the menu bar on some pages (although the rest of the design was then still the old style) they told me I was getting the mobile version of the menu bar. At that time I could get the pages back to normal by reducing the browser magnification to 90% on my computer, and I was still seeing the full menu bar on my iPad.

Now with the new design I am having to reduce the browser magnification on my computer to 75% to get the full menu bar back.

I am not sure if I can reduce the browser magnification on my iPad, and I think the rest of the page might be a bit too small to read if I did.

 

[Helen7]

Now with the new design I am having to reduce the browser magnification on my computer to 75% to get the full menu bar back.

I see the full menu bar on my computer at 100% magnification.

I am not sure if I can reduce the browser magnification on my iPad, and I think the rest of the page might be a bit too small to read if I did.

I agree - especially as I have an iPad Mini!