Please increase bandwidth
I am running into the new bandwidth restrictions quite frequently. I am a heavy user of FamilySearch and contribute extensively to genealogy. With the new results page revision, there seems to be a new bandwidth limitation. I understand the need to prevent bots and scripted downloads of large portions of the FamilySearch database. However the restrictions are too narrow and end up limiting work for genealogists that are trying to work hard. As an example, I just reviewed 42 records to evaluate their source links and ensure that all the links were correct. It took me about 15 minutes to churn through those because I knew what I was looking for. As I was finishing a family group, I got the Bandwidth Limit Exceeded message. This limit is too narrow. Please increase the limit so I can do the important genealogical work that this site is designed for. Many people concentrate their work in a small time window, so please consider expanding the bandwidth window to count over multiple hours of usage.
Thank you,
Alex Campbell
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Hi Alex. You might consider and appreciate that the FamilySearch site is FREE.. We might all be truly grateful for the huge resources it offers to all of it's millions of users. Just saying :-)
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I received this message when I was at my local Family History Center reviewing land records through the Patron database. I tried to download an image of a land record and received a message that I had exceeded the general use license to download images, however I hadn't downloaded a single image. No one at the Family History Center knew what the problem was or how to solve it, so I ended up leaving, feeling very frustrated. I don't have time to transcribe records directly from the screen, and when I tried printing a copy, it was so small that it was completely illegible. My use of records is exclusively for my personal research, so I'm very perplexed by this situation and hope it was just an unintended glitch. I Googled the issue and was directed to email searchfeedback@familysearch.org to get help, but have not received a response yet. I would appreciate any advice about this. Thanks!
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Alex
I am just another 'lowly' User/Patron ...
I too, am a 'heavy' User/Patron of 'FamilySearch'.
When you 'say' that you are "... running into the new bandwidth restrictions quite frequently ...'
Question: Are you "Download" (ie. Copying) MANY "Images"; or, is it to do with your INTERNET being 'Slow'?
Please advise
Brett
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Sally
I am just another 'lowly' User/Patron ...
You are not alone ...
I have experienced such, at "Family History Centres" of the Church, myself; and, I have witnessed other Patrons at "Family History Centres" of the Church, experiencing the same.
Regardless of WHY a User/Patron is "Downloading" any amount of "Images" from 'FamilySearch' ...
There are general use license and purpose for 'FamilySearch'.
IF, a User/Patron, is "Downloading", what 'FamilySearch' considers, a large amount/number of "Images", at one time, from 'FamilySearch'; THEN, the "System", MAY consider, that the User/Patron MAY be:
(1) a "Commercial" Enterprise; or,
(2) attempting to obtain, personal financial gain, from "Selling", such "Images"; or,
(3) simply up to nefarious means.
Therefore, such "Data Limits", when "Downloading" an amount of "Images", from 'FamilySearch', over a "Short Period of Time", have been applied.
I have 'seen' such restriction applied, after some x9 "Images" are "Downloaded; but, I have also 'seen' such restriction applied when such has been LESS than x9.
Here is a "Knowledge Article" in 'FamilySearch':
I get an error message when downloading from Historical Records
Where it states, among other things:
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If you see the error message below as you download records or images, please send an email as requested in the message.
"It appears that you may have data needs that exceed the general use license and purpose for this web application. Please contact recordrequests@FamilySearch.org for information on proper access of FamilySearch data. If you believe that you have been improperly blocked, please send an explanation of your needs to searchfeedback@churchofjesuschrist.org."
If you see the message below, the system blocked your ability to download more records than our contract agreements permit. If you feel this message does not apply to your activities, please send an email to recordrequests@FamilySearch.org for information about access. If you feel you are being improperly blocked, please send an explanation of your needs to searchfeedback@churchofjesuschrist.org.
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'FamilySearch' NEEDS to have some CONTROL over what is "Downloaded" from 'FamilySearch'; especially, when such is considered a LARGE amount being "Downloaded".
As an aside ...
Rather than "Downloading" the "Images" very quickly, one after the other, give it a few minutes between "Downloading".
I know, that a Users/Patrons 'Time', is Very VALUABLE, when at, a "Family History Centre" of the Church.
But, what one must remember is that 'FamilySearch' MUST also PROTECT the rights and interests of the "Custodian" of the Records, who ALLOW the Records, to be available, for FREE, on 'FamilySearch'.
There is a very delicate balance ...
On one side, there are the Users/Patrons; and, on the other side, there are the "Custodian" of the Records.
It is very hard to please, everyone, all of the time.
I know that this does not help; but, I hope that this gives you some additional perspective.
Brett
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Hi Brett,
Thanks very much for this information. In my case, I wasn't able to download even one image, so i think something went wrong. I just sent an email to recordrequests@FamilySearch.org, so hopefully this will get sorted out soon.
All Best,
Sally
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Sally
I have know such to happen to other Users/Patron; but, that was a while ago.
Hopefully, it may just have been a momentary, 'glitch', in the "System".
Or, it could have something to do with the RECENT Update/Maintenance of the "FHC" 'Portal' (ie, "Family History Centres, of the Church, all around the World) with regards to accessing "Restricted" Records.
The recent Update/Maintenance of the "FHC" 'Portal' was a massive/mammoth undertaking, there are bound to be many, 'latent', problem/issue - many yet to surface.
I hope things get addressed/fixed for you.
Good Luck.
Brett
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This happened to me yesterday. I downloaded about two pages and got the message. I travel almost one hour to go to the family history center, so this was a major frustration. Does anybody knows what is going on? Is this a temporary thing while they figure out what is excessive and what is not? I am searching for my 5 of great-great-great-grandparents, all in the same town. It is quite a lot of names, but very far from professional use, or something excessive...
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