Would FS Please, PLEASE, PLEASE return to the previous version of SEARCHing for Records?
YES, I am well aware that this topic has 100's of discussions in this Forum in various areas.
NO ANSWER has ever been provided as to WHY FamilySearch is unable (& unwilling to ADMIT to the massive programming ERRORs by the person who is no longer employed with FS) to simply RETURN to the PREVIOUS Search system WHICH ACTUALLY WORKED!!!
However, this simple example MIGHT offer an example of the virtually complete failure of this 'improved' system that replaced an excellent search system. https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/sources/LKRF-X1M
FS Search found this one "John E Kahl, "New York State Census, 1855" (IN 2015 - before the fiasco programming). It also found this one "John E Kuhl, "New York State Census, 1865" a week ago! (Notice the SURNAME was spelled differently "KUhl" vs. "KAhl")
It seemed logical that the family would also be LIKELY found in the 1860 Federal Census in the same location. HOWEVER FS Search could NOT find it, no matter what search criteria were entered.
Resorting to my old standby working system, I tried Ancestry (actually through the FS link for Ancestry) & lo & behold up pops the 1860 census "John E Kehl, "United States Census, 1860"
Notice the name is spelled KEhl vs. KUhl" & "KAhl" and Ancestry search found IT!!
No response is necessary to this post - EXCEPT someone to say that the request has been forwarded to some DECISION MAKER who could actually make a decision to REVERSE the disastrous decision to proffer the "new" search fiasco, & to admit the failure (of course, that might require a modicum of humility) and RETURN to the PREVIOUS Search system WHICH ACTUALLY WORKED!!!
***** Of course, even though there have been 1000's of comments herein, a massive number of upvotes MIGHT help get a result (but I seriously doubt it, but I did get to vent my continuing extreme frustration (even worse the 10 years of trying to stop the GEDCOM's massive continuing problems in the Tree) *****
Answers
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Totally agree with this comment. Please someone listen and return the system to the previous excellent search system. I cannot find people on the new system that were on the 'old version'. I've just about given up using this site, really frustrated using in the current state.
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You do well to raise this issue separately, as the issue is still causing problems for so many users, yet there is no sign of any change that might address the specific items that have been raised here in Community.
In fact, I am about to raise another "question" on the matter in a hope that the developers will see the problem won't suddenly go away, without any adjustments to the existing model.
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Thank You for all your comments, I have passed your points to the FamilySearch Technical Team for consideration.
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Nothing gets improved. They just keep making things worse and worse. Why won't they listen to the people who use their system? Now they are fouling up the indexing system too.
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Thank you for responding as requested: "No response is necessary to this post - EXCEPT someone to say that the request has been forwarded to some DECISION MAKER who could actually make a decision to REVERSE"
Now I/we wonder WHO that person/s might be, and WHEN/if any? further response might be forthcoming.
ESPECIALLY, one similar to this:
"Thank you to all of the FS users that have expressed their opinions on this issue. We have listened & learned. Effective 1 Apr 2022, the 'PREVIOUS Search system which actually worked' will be REACTIVATED.
Our sincerest apologies for the extensive disruption that was caused by the extensive change to record searching that was instituted.
We had hoped for better results and hereby promise to allow our users/patrons/guests to be more involved in more extensive testing for future major changes within FamilySearch.
However, we did specifically apply the "Peter Principle," or, perhaps it was the 'Dilbert Principle' https://integriaims.com/en/peter-principle/ "
Uh oh, I likely just violated the Forum 'Code of Conduct' (but I did quick look & couldn't find it.)
All progress is CHANGE, but not all CHANGE is progress.
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I wrote this in another discussion on this topic about a week ago:
Like many others I find that the results given by the new search engine are not as good as previously. That is very concerning and disappointing. But on the other hand:
- FS may not have a choice about the change. If a piece of code or software that the old search engine depended on was suddenly discontinued, they would have been forced to make changes at short notice. A similar thing happened with "My Cases" last year.
- People always take time to adapt to change, and will instinctively complain about changes.
- Complainers will always be more vocal than those who are satisfied.
If I were FamilySearch, I would make improving the results from the search engine an urgent priority, but would not try to change the user interface unless a random survey of FS Users showed high levels of dissatisfaction. The users and posters of this forum are not a reliable, random sample of FS users.
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