New Feature (?) but year is cut off
Why is it 1700 to present, not allowing any before 1700?
I tried with John Winthrop only to see 1587 rejected, and this popped up.
It needs to be changed to 1500.
I still can't upload the image without having to show WHOLE page. It's on the right side
BTW, when will the images be allowed??? Harder to describe without the highlighted image.
Answers
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Oh, they've suddenly given pride of place to the combined ("All Collections") search. It's been around for a while, but I gave up on it very quickly, because of the artificial limits that don't exist in any of the constituent searches (such as requiring a surname and only accepting post-1700 dates), and because of the inexplicable sorting algorithm. (I search for a birthdate of 1882, it gives me one measly result with that date on the first page [which can be set to a grand total maximum of 20 — are they getting paid by the click??], five on the next page, none on the next, and so on.)
I suggest ignoring the combined search. If you're looking for records, use Search - Records; if you're looking for profiles, use Find.
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The change took place this morning.
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Other websites also have a Home page inviting you to carry out a search from that page. It's always best to ignore that option and switch to an "Advanced Search" option. In the case of FamilySearch, you can make a general search from https://www.familysearch.org/search/ or, alternatively, make a more specific search from within the collection where your relatives' records are most likely to be found. Just as an example, I might use the page at https://www.familysearch.org/search/collection/2285338 if I was searching for a birth registration record of a relative born in England.
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I am not talking about any other features.
The search that is on the ever revising home page. Just above Record Hints (for those who are LDS it's Temple and Record Hints).
I am referring to the specific issue - that is the years BEFORE 1700. (Search for An Ancestor)
When I wanted John Winthrop, born 1578, it was not allowed. And the red warning pop up, saying it has to be 1700 or later.
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As Paul said: landing-page search features are often less capable than advanced or specific searches, and FS's combined search is no exception.
As I said, FS introduced the combined-but-simplified search a while ago; what's new is putting it at the top of the home page. Luckily, the Search menu is at the top of every FS page, including the home page, so the change does not need to impact your use of FS. Just ignore those search boxes: that tool does not serve your needs.
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