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Ancestry SEARCH ENGINE NOT FIT FOR PURPOSE !!!!

Ancestry SEARCH ENGINE NOT FIT FOR PURPOSE !!!!

Posted: 27 Feb 2015 12:16PM GMT
Classification: Query
Edited: 27 Feb 2015 12:59PM GMT
Ancestry's search engine has a lot of problems, but even after reporting this fact to Ancestry countless times, they still have done nothing about it.

This is why after some years of complaining I have decided to post this one of several problems I have found.

You come across a someone it a record that you were not looking for and then wish you had saved it, as although you now all the details Ancestry tells you that it does not exist. Or like in this case I kept the record and did another search of all records for this person to be told that there are no records that match your search even though you are looking at the record that you were searching for.

Another problem that Ancestry has is that, if you search within your family tree it will not find a lot of records that it has for the person in question, and it is best to do the search in a different tab or window, OUT of YOUR TREE
Use freebmd site before Ancestry for all old BMD's, as a great many are not on Ancestry although they do not make that clear or at least add a note on the search box.

Because of the amount of transcription errors I tent to have to search without using the family name, this is because of the useless limitations ancestry puts on the use of wild cards, WITH COMMENTS LIKE THIS WOULD RETURN TO MANY MATCHES, HOW MANY MATCHES DO THEY THINK I GET WHEN I HAVE TO SEARCH WITHOUT A FAMILY NAME ???

Please see examples attached
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Re: Ancestry SEARCH ENGINE NOT FIT FOR PURPOSE !!!!

Posted: 27 Feb 2015 2:47PM GMT
Classification: Query
Edited: 27 Feb 2015 3:26PM GMT
mcap2000 said, "Or like in this case I kept the record and did another search of all records for this person to be told that there are no records that match your search even though you are looking at the record that you were searching for."



If the record has been transcribed with the first name HENY (your image #1), you won't find it searching for HENRY.

After seeing the handwriting, I wouldn't call it a transcription error either.
Attachments:

Re: Ancestry SEARCH ENGINE NOT FIT FOR PURPOSE !!!!

Posted: 27 Feb 2015 7:34PM GMT
Classification: Query
In this instance I stand corrected, but in the past I have, as in the instance copied and pasted all information into the field and return with no good matches found. I must admit in this case I only copied and pasted the place of birth, missing the misspelled first name.

The transcription error refers to the surname!!

Thanks for correcting me!
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