Missing lab/experiments, old merge, slow

JonNJ

I noticed that in the last few days it has switched back to the old merge. The experiments/lab page is empty and web pages are taking considerably longer to load. Has there been some recent change? Is this regional? (I am in Germany.)

JonNJ

I think it must be a browser problem. I didn't consider this before. It is working fine in Firefox, but not in Brave which is based on Chrome. There was an update recently. In Firefox it is using the new merge and the experiments are all there.

JonNJ

Thanks @sc woz, thanks @Áine.ní.Donnghaile. The problem was not the region, it was not the browser itself, it was a script-blocking extension. There must have been a new domain that wasn't used previously. It's all working peachy again!

Áine.ní.Donnghaile

I'm in the US.
If I access the Labs page in English, as I usually do, there are 8 Experiments.
https://www.familysearch.org/en/labs/

If I switch the Labs page to access in German, there are 3 Experimente.
https://www.familysearch.org/de/labs/

sc woz

@JonNJ

Testing in FamilySearch Labs is intentionally limited to specific areas, countries, and time periods. Experiments may appear for a short time, disappear, and then return later. This is normal. These features are true experiments, and until they are officially released (if they ever are), they remain subject to the priorities and decisions of the Lab coordinators.

The purpose of the Labs website is to improve the guest experience by providing opportunities for early user testing and feedback. Projects shown in Labs may include early‑stage concepts, new tools, or features that are not yet ready for placement on the main FamilySearch.org website.

Experiments may look different or vary in availability because they depend on the specific data, languages, and technical models being tested for each region. Each experiment represents a feature that a FamilySearch team is actively developing—often one that is nearly ready for release. Making it available in Labs allows developers to observe how it performs “in the wild” before it is offered to the general public.

Some experimental features require significant computing resources. By limiting an experiment to certain regions or record collections, FamilySearch can maintain overall site stability while scaling the technology.

FamilySearch does not provide support for the FamilySearch Labs website. Guests who discover the Labs site and choose to participate do so with the understanding that no support is available for issues or questions related to its content or functionality. Missionaries, volunteers, and staff who opt in to use FamilySearch Labs also do not receive support for the site.