"Attention Ancestry dot.com Subscribers"

Note: Ancestry.com will undergo site maintenance"  Another message I get frequently is "You may be experiencing some intermittent service with the Ancestry.com website"...

...when accessing Ancestry from within FTM 2012 or their site and "We’ve designed a new image viewer that is faster, works across more devices and browsers, and includes interactive tools for key collections. This viewer will be discontinued soon."

I feel Your Frustrations, with 30+ yrs exp. with Computers, since before the WWW came online...and after 9.5 yrs as a subscriber to Ancestry.  Not Every PC User knows everything about Computers or more specifically their computer, myself included....especially with the Constant Technology Change of the electronic communication devices we use.

What Ancestry may not realize or concern they may lack for their Subscribers, that we come in All Ages, of different levels of Computer and Research experience.

I would venture to say the majority are over 60 yrs, some Subscribers are still using 56K modems, Windows 98 or XP possibly who may Experience Slowness (with their Internet Connection or Computer), or the loss of connectivity even with updated browsers, add-ons, plugins, after clearing Cache & Temp files of our Browsers, with Ancestry designing a new viewer, maybe without the option of Use the old viewer....could leave many behind.  I prefer the Old Search over the New Search.

Slowness may Not be Ancestry's Fault, as our connection via Phone, DSL, Cable or Wireless service may have issues by the Internet Service Providers we subscribe to, as Communication on the Internet does not travel in a direct line.

Another factor could be with Nature...as with Hurricanes or Volcano erruptions in one part of the World could affect our connectivity, or other atmospheric disturbances, electromagnetic interference, neighbors wireless network, even our own computer systems...there is not one direct or easy answer for any issue...that Computer Users or Subscribers may experience at any given hour of the day or of our location throughout the USA or World.

Even the amount of Bandwidth (often used as a synonym for data transfer rate - the amount of data that can be carried from one point to another in a given time period) being used at any given time could create an Internet Bottle-Neck (the "slowest" part of a system or device in the chain), a Router could be the bottle-neck.

Just like Traffic at Rush Hour by the number of Users accessing Ancestry or Any Server at one time, could create a Bottle-Neck.

All adding to the frustrations many Users/Subscribers may already have...I know from being a volunteer of over 50 Rootsweb lists, of the many I assisted over the years have expressed their frustrations with their searches on Ancestry and....those who use HQ or FamilySearch have similar comments.

Nothing is perfect, and I cannot even imagine the growth of Ancestry (worldwide) in the last couple three years, since inundating TV with their ads and TV show, the affect that has had.

I would like to be of more help for those with issues using Ancestry, as I spend 8-16 hrs a day researching, almost everyday.

I presume Ancestry's posting of their alerts as Intermittent Service or performing Maintenance, their current Enhanced Improvements and of those yet to come, will be changing how we as Subscribers may do business in the future with Ancestry.

There are those who do not like change, who are in their comfort zone and if it is working just fine why the change or better yet...the cost of this change and how it will impact us.

Fold3, previously Footnote.com launched in Jan 2007,  in October of 2010 Ancestry.com purchased iArchives, including Footnote.com.  In August 2011, Footnote.com was rebranded as Fold3.

There might be more division of Ancestry's record categories/type records...now with Ancestry's Research Packages/Membership of World Deluxe or US Deluxe, might be very expensive for those with little time to research, or on fixed income.  And without a One Stop Research Site, can be overwhelming on where to look for records.

The other day I was sent an e-mail from Ancestry offering "Save 50% on a Fold3 membership"  my thought, will all Military Records now available at Ancestry move to Fold3.

And what changes are to come to Ancestry.

Regards, Doc
drdocyoung.com
40 miles from Ancestry in Utah