We all(1) hate it when they do that. > > > > (1) Well, a lot of us. > > I think when someone subscribes to a new site, there's an expectation > of a learning curve, that the search engine is not going to be like a > more familiar one. Well put - and it is rather insulting to imply that any critics must be 'inexperienced'. It's when an old favourite radically changes their > site for no apparent reason, that's when, as you say, many get upset. exactly - the 'no apparent reason' is the ppoint. > > Sometimes I think it's the /firm/ that gets bored with the look of the > site, forgetting the /users/ probably aren't. I have this niggling suspicious that if a site is working well, then the programmers feel nervous that they might become redundant - so why not create future employment for themselves by complicating the search, so they will be called back to put it 'right' EVE Author of The McLaughlin Guides for Family Historians Secretary, Bucks Genealogical Society

On 15/03/2015 12:12, eve via wrote: > Well put - and it is rather insulting to imply that any critics must be > 'inexperienced'. Thank you :) There are a quite a few researchers on this list who started their research in record offices, handling original document and registers without gloves(!), all pre internet and personal computers. > I have this niggling suspicious that if a site is working well, then the > programmers feel nervous that they might become redundant - so why not > create future employment for themselves by complicating the search, so they > will be called back to put it 'right' You could well be right :) -- Charani (UK) OPC for Walton, Ashcott, Shapwick, Greinton and Clutton, SOM http://wsom-opc.org.uk

Hi All.I am one of those researchers from way back and as I'm in New Zealand didn't have any idea of the areas I was researching in MDX, other English counties and Scotland. The easiest way was to go to the enumumerators description of the area and pain stakingly write it out. These census records and nearly every other record were on film that had to ordered in to the local FHC so one had to maximise their use. The absolute euphoria one felt upon seeing a relative's name in a parish record or census etc Locations were checked against old maps of these areas and years later when able to visit the UK and walk the very streets of my ancestors I experienced a feeling of 'being at home with them'. On several occasions we were invited into the homes of our ancestors by current unrelated owners who were only too pleased to share what they knew of the areas, the houses and in one situation in Scotland our family history. I have also now been in a number repositories, libraries and FHC in Scotland & England and have at times been so frustrated going through indexes of film after film only to find what I was after by chance in an unrelated film title.All aspects of family research has it's 'filing' difficulties FMF was my first choice as the site initially had the most records for London. I also subscribe to Ancestry.UK and belong to London Genealogy Society which gave me access to British Origins (who are now very recently part of FMP)FMF appear to have made it more difficult to navigate your way to what you want but they do have help tutorials worth readingNone of these sites are perfect and do take time to get your head round. Instant gratification and family research are seldom in the same sentence! Happy days hunting and take your time Regards Coralie > There are a quite a few researchers on this list who started their > research in record offices, handling original document and registers > without gloves(!), all pre internet and personal computers. > Charani (UK)