Suggestions

Elizabeth

Just like TootyFruity, I never log out of GR, nor do I log out of ancestry, familytreeforum, Rootschat, or any other site that has any form of membership

However, I have not visited some of the sites in months, or years in one case


but I will always show as being logged in.



The problem with GR is that they do not remove a member who does not renew one of the paying subscriptions ...... the member is just moved into the FREE member category.


It is only when a member removes themself from the site, and removes the tree(s) that they do not show.


One thing to remember is that GR started in 2002 as Genes Connected, membership was free, you could start a tree, search names on other rees.

Later, the paying memberships were added ... Standard first, then Gold and Platinum later.


Membership numbers have been allocated in sequence since 2002 .................. the current total is over 11 million.

I would suggest that possibly millions of members have lost interest over the last 9 to 10 years, have moved onto other sites, have become seriously ill, or died.

Plus, of course, many thousands more may well just have changed their email address but neglected to inform GR, so they are not receiving the notifications sent out.

My suggestion would be to determine the membership number of the member you wish to contact (just hover the mouse pointer over the member's name and their number will show along the bottom of your screen).

If it is a very low number, then accept that the member is no longer on here for what ever reason, or has a new email address.




sylvia

Perhaps it would be possible as in Ancestry to indicate how recently the member has used the site (not that the ancestry timing is instantly up to date, I have frequently picked up on a same day contact addition, only when I check it says they haven't used the site for 6 months!)

edit - now I see someone has put up the same suggestion with reference to Hot Matches

Your suggestion wouldn't really work because members like me who never log out would show even if we never visit the site again.

Even if you don't pay your subscription your membership reverts to a free membership unless of course you delete it all together which in itself would mean that they would not show up in name search.

There are a lot of trees on GR from members who have not visited the site for a very long time. I think GR should contact all the free membership and ask for a response to that email within say 2 months or their account will be deleted. I know of several trees on this site where the researcher has unfortunately died yet will still be getting members searching for connections sending them messages.

However, I don't think anything can be done about subscibers who never visit the site because they are paying for the service and it is up to them whether or not they participate.

I use the 'Name Search' facility a lot and it is very frustrating when I can see that my often detailed mail has not been answered, usually it is because the person is no longer a member.
Is it possible for Genes to put a symbol by each researcher's name to say whether they are currently still a member or not?
This would save a lot of time, frustration and expectation of a reply which is never going to arrive.
Ann