I think that the ability to create a detached person was very likely a design feature. Another example of use - In the process of research you may run across a record for a family member you did not previously know existed, say a sibling of your ancestor. This feature allows you to add the person as a detached member of your tree along with the associated record, then you can use the relationship edit to attach the person to the tree. (Saves steps.) Constructing a family tree is not necessarily the goal of every researcher who subscribes to Ancestry. Some like to research all folks of a particular surname, not everyone of that surname necessarily related. Some may be researching all folks living in a particular community, some but not all related. Don't see why this versatility/functionality would be eliminated - hopefully just a temporary glitch in the system.