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Search format

LegacyUser
LegacyUser ✭✭✭✭
June 24, 2014 edited September 28, 2020 in Suggest an Idea
Stephen Manning said: I have used family search for many years. A few years back the format and searches were changed for some unknown reason. As a result I have a much more difficult time finding anything of substance on your site. This is very frustrating as the prior format allowed me to find much data that now is out of reach. Is there any way for a use to access data using the old search format?
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  • LDS Search Test
    LDS Search Test ✭✭✭
    September 29, 2021

    This is still a valid criticism today. How do we get to be involved in the development process to get these format changes halted before they're forced onto us.

    3
  • Brett .
    Brett . ✭✭✭✭✭
    September 29, 2021

    @LDS Search Test

    FYI

    Welcome to the "Community.FamilySearch" Forum.

    [ And, I am a Member of the Church ... ]

    FYI

    Many of us, EXPERIENCED Users/Patrons, from ALL around the WORLD, have been asking, for MANY Years ...

    HOW can we get involved, in/with the "Focus" Groups, for "Testing" purposes, for the NEW, Design; and, Development, features/functions/facilities; BEFORE, they even get, to the "Beta" (ie. "Test") Environment.

    At least, that would be a start ...

    Brett

    3
  • dfnels
    dfnels ✭
    September 29, 2021

    Like Stephen Manning I have used family search for many years and thought the search format worked great. Unlike Stephen the search format change was recent, but the question he raise is the same one I have. Is there any way for a use to access data using the old search format?

    4
  • donmthomas
    donmthomas ✭✭✭
    September 30, 2021


    2
  • Jeannesterken
    Jeannesterken ✭
    September 30, 2021 edited September 30, 2021

    Sept. 2021

    As a daily FS user, I was surprised to discover the recent search format change for Family Search without advance notice to users of the changes. Thought I'd been switched to a Beta Version...

    The new search follows a wiki style of search to discover which record groups are available, rather than having a filter button for Census or Military on the sidebar. The older FS search was similar to Ancestry and one could easily switch between FS or Ancestry when locating ancestor records.

    If there is an improvement to be made in the search, please improve the algorithm to yield improved results that correlate with entered criteria so the desired relative's record isn't buried in "close" matches that really aren't close.

    I can't find a means to get results for married women using their husband's surname to appear after their marriage date, short of changing the maiden name.

    Can we access the older search format as an alternative to the new improved search? I spoke with FS help today about the recent search format change and was advised to send feedback, but the feedback button in upper right corner was not on my Macbook.

    A video might be useful to users.

    I appreciate the wealth of records available on FS and being able to access them online. Thank you for providing this resource to family genealogists.

    2
  • FDawn5
    FDawn5 ✭
    September 30, 2021

    I haven't logged in for awhile because the binder for a tree I was working on was accidentally left in another city and I just got it back. I have to say that I do not like the new search format whatsoever. I find the new format to be very restrictive. I didn't see where I could add parents name for example which was on the previous format. I didn't see where I could choose a period of time (beginning year to an ending year) on a search. With the new format I can't see myself using this website as often as I used to.

    4
  • DavidJones0001
    DavidJones0001 ✭
    September 30, 2021

    All of the previous comments concerning the changes to the search function are valid. The new system is much more difficult to use and the results do not provide as much useful information. I see lots of records on other sites that I know exists in familysearch but they are easily found or impossible to find. The old system was much better

    4
  • Carol Shepherd_4
    Carol Shepherd_4 ✭
    October 3, 2021

    Same as above

    The last I logged in to FamilySearch was about a week ago, late September 2021. Huge change with no notice. I'm extremely disappointed.

    The old search (on the LEFT) contained MANY options/parameters - plus the option to FILTER results to limit what you view to ranges of years and collections.

    The new search box (now on the RIGHT) says it is an "advanced search." That's a joke.

    **It is anything but advanced. It's worse than a basic search on many other sites.**

    -- Maybe this change was made to push people off here, to paid Ancestry subscriptions?

    I have used this site for 20 years. It has been *the* "deep dive" go-to for records and IGI. It's useless for that. Where will I get access to IGI now??

    I felt there was a nice give and take between FS and the community until now. I enjoyed assisting with indexing batches of images.

    **If FamilySearch really cares about us long-term users, it will add back an option to use the old format.**

    Carol Shepherd

    3
  • Carol Shepherd_4
    Carol Shepherd_4 ✭
    October 3, 2021

    All:

    Here is the comprehensive discussion of this with the official explanation by FS staff. If you have not already PLEASE go over there and add your comments on the main thread so we are heard.

    https://community.familysearch.org/en/discussion/103621/familysearch-employee-responding-to-search-page-feedback/p1

    1
  • Chet OGAN
    Chet OGAN ✭
    October 4, 2021

    I got onto FamilySearch tonight to run a search and came up with nothing. What have you done to ruin your search engines? I have been using FamilySearch for more than a decade and easily found what I was searching for. Now I am totally frustrated. Please go back to your old search engine.

    Chet Ogan

    2
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