Suggestions

I an not a Happy Chappy with this New Tree Layout!

This is my 7th year & have adjusted to some little changes in the past.....but this beats the lot!

I have posted my 3rd problem now, to Genes.....but i did also post my objection to the New Tree as well....This is what i sent...

I've been with Genes now almost 7rs & enjoyed using it constantly......now i do not bother as much.....as the change to 'The Family Tree' is an absolute MESS!
Sorry!

Previously...was a beautiful Layout...click onto a name & full Details in front of you...now have to click onto a side panel or when i want to view my Contacts i have to use CTRL - + . so inconvenient....

I have read so many members with their angst on this major change....and you must listen to the members & leave the 'Tree Layout' as was....perhaps just a little change is better than a major one...as this is not user friendly in many aspects.....should look more 'Olde World' with all info on each person, in front of you & easy on the eyes, regarding the colour.....................

Bring back previous Tree as was....................you will have more members joining & staying for a long time to come!

Well said Poppycat I agree with every word.

I also agree with Poppycat,
I tried all online trees when i started my Family History & Genes Reunited was the best, easiest & quickest to work with & everything was in front of you, not so now.

Exactly, why have a tree now - as I think the IT bods are not listening to the marjority of us.

Thanks to those members who have replied regarding the NOT user friendly Tree Layout.

I had since had another problem where my Tree was reduced considerably in size & Detail area...................so i contacted Genes again........only to be told i had to do this Compatability in Tools & all should be ok.......well i did all that was said & did work out......but WHY?...... should all this have to be done, click this click that..................for Photos, Details, an absolute MESS!

Everyone who is a Paid up member must keep bombarding Genes with their thoughts on the matter......Don't just accept this huge change, be Active! Numbers count!!

I think "the team" have their heads messed up ~ either in the sand or the clouds!

They insist the new tree is well accepted, but only use "positive" feedback.

What about the rest of us?

They'll find out when we vote with our feet (and money!)

:-P

I too had trouble with my new tree. Emailed GR and got ridiculous responses. I played around with it, and found the Compatability was the problem. Why didn't GR tell me? I couldn't use my tree for almost two weeks. VERY annoying.

:-P :-P :-P

Just had a look at Phil Moir's blog, He is "lead developer" and uses words like cache as if we all know what he is on about. He is happy to look at any amendments to this Brave New Layout, but will not go back to old format and start again.

It is quite revealing how he has approached this re-design, how he has selected the 500 who were involved in the testing, how he has weighted the advice of people with good computer experience much higher than us ordinary folk who know nuthin. Has he asked you? No, nor me (but cache is not a word I use every day)

He reminds me of Nero. And, if you have ever seen the film 12 O'Clock High, an old black and white American war film based in England, we all desperately need a Gregory Peck to take over the base in Shoreditch.

What a Shame this 'FamilyTree' like all of you i do love this site.......could be No 1 ......except for................

It amazes me that these "Developers" who decide to make a dramatic change, can totally ignore our comments on our total dislike to this New Tree Layout.
For them its a challenge to try an all 'New Layout' & lay claim to a workable 'Tree' for all us PAID MEMBERS..............................

I wonder how many of those Developers are dedicated Family Researchers, such as ourselves..........if they were, they would understand how slow & boring it all is now.......nothing appealing about it............To admit its a total failure.....is to admit defeat!

I have also formed the opinion that the inner cabinet of about 11 paid employees at Genes (who are young, presumably keen and ambitious for success, and seem very nice people) have surrounded themselves with unpaid lieutenants who are also very nice but very keen to suppress any suggestion that we need to go back to the old tree format and decide again what (if anything) needs to be updated.

They are all very quick to tell us that Genes will never use the old tree format again. And these lieutenants will not countenance any criticism of the new layout, just simply telling us we have nor read what is on the packet, we need a new computer, we need a new bruiser, we need to refresh our cash ad nauseam. All computer speak, not the world of family history and reuniting genes.

By asking a random sample of members - not just the very interested unpaid lieutenants - and acting on our opinions, Genes would not be seen as weak. They appear to have made a serious mistake, but recovery from that mistake and moving forward together seems so easy to me.

But we need an announcement further to 2nd Aug that all is well with the world. Absolutely no clue, though I think one of the team did ask for space whilst they sort things out in a private reply.

Hi my first visit in ages and simply because I cannot get used to the new style tree lay out.

John, I think your analysis is totally wrong

GR have problems and most members that post about clearing cache compatibility and so on are actually just trying to help members get through these problems until GR either get the site/tree working in a manner that suits all members,

GR are owned by Bright solid who are in business to make MONEY,

The new tree was always going to happen because the old tree did not make money for GR

The new tree links all relatives to records held by GR and sold to members using those links, The old tree did not do this and that's why the old tree has been removed (money) thats what companies do they make money

That is the driving force behind these changes like it or not,

If you search the boards you will see where i have posted about how unprofessional GR have been whilst making/forcing these changes on it's members and using it's entire membership as guinea pigs

I posted about these changes not being Alpha and or beta testing by GR to which Phil moir says it was not possible to run beta testing but then within a week launched the beta site, :-D

But the beta site was only up and running for around a week :-P before they launched it to the full membership, and just to correct you it was open to around 5,000 members and not 500, but the number is irrelevant because the beta testing only was mainly for the makeover although some minimal changes where made to the tree, This beta testing was a PR exercise and nothing more,
very unprofessional, So no change their then :-|

(I personally think that the GR tech department are not up to the job)

For those who don't understand the tech side of things i will try and explain

If you have an old TV you need a digibox to convert your TV aerial signal from analogue to digital

Your modern browser has got whats called compatibility view, which is the browser version of that digibox, It allows you to view older versions of a web site on your modern PC

The very fact that members need to switch between compatibility view says that GR are running old out of date software along with new versions within the site in short it's a "bodge job"

When you are viewing a modern site your browser will not give the option for compatibility view because it will already be compatible

The fact that members need to keep clearing their cache is a sign that GR has enough errors and bugs to lift and carry an elephant from lands end to john o'groats

but it still comes back to the old v new tree and money

The old tree never made money but the new one will once they get it working as it should

It depends on how you see things? Cup half full or Cup half empty?

If people want to try and force change? they need to continue to inundate GR with complaints/feedback using the contact us in the help section or use the feedback facility in the family tree section

But the best you can hope for is a tree/site that is easy to use and that works



Roy

Roy

I think I understood the very relevant points you made.

But they make money now from our subs - I know tree is free. But we pay for a basic package, a bronze package, a gold package, and a European Lottery winners package (which I believe only Eldrick subscribes to presently and he is leaving). I think you suggest that they need to find a way to get income from other sources than our subs.

So why not start at the point they were a few months ago. Back to old tree. Ask us all what we think. Then get a really expensive and excellent team of progarmmers to work out a way of keeping simple people who love family history (and often have quite a bit of spare cash in these difficult days) on board. Yet developing the site in a simple way that the Lowest Common Denominator can understand easily without spoiling their fun.

If I can do complicated things easily via Genes and can have access to some new and interesting research facilities, print off bits of tree easily etc etc I will be 100% in favour of change. But I want someone simple like you (no offence :-D) to explain things if I get problems. I don't want loads of complicated stuff from a computer lead programmer who seem to be happily married to a computer and has no idea there is a big world outside.

Put it this way. I think you want a Mercedes 600SL and you are upset because you have been given a De Lorean. I want something with 4 wheels, brakes, a steering wheel and an automatic gearbox so I don't have to change gears or look at the instruction book. If I was programming, I would try to find something that met my needs and your needs. Not rocket science, surely.

John, GR are trying to maximise profits they are only interested in making money,

I have said that the way GR have forced these changes on its members is very unprofessional

That was my view 6 months ago and it still stands today

The team at GR appear to have nothing but contempt for the membership possibly because they cannot resolve issues that members have with the site so in the absents of their ability to get a grip contempt appears to be the default setting for them

They are clearly unable to provide the service members require whether through a lack of technical ability or communication skills but either way they are not up to the job

Putting them under pressure to deliver is the only option members who want to carry on using the site have so they need to continue to inundate GR with complaints/feedback using the contact us in the help section or use the feedback facility in the family tree section



Roy

Oh, and a further thought. I have never been tempted to upgrade from Basic (about a tenner) in my 9 years. I subscribe to Ancestry, and would upgrade if Genes could source some different local records to Ancestry.

But I would simply click the button that returned us to old tree NOW (or tomorrow). At the same time, I would send an email out to all existing and retired subscribers, apologise that a few members were leaving because they were unhappy with new layout and they needed to temporarily return to old layout whilst they worked out all the bugs. Hoped everyone would be patient and they would regularly update (say once a week)

Then asked a random sample (say 300) of their electorate what they had done in last 12 months on Genes (if anything) and what they would like to do if it were possible in next 12 months.

Then get a crack team of programmers in to design something that will begin to meet what is required. And let them Alpha Beta and Charlie test it till it is working on ordinary computers and most bruisers without continually spending your cache.

Will that not keep us happy? Will that not bring loads of revenue in fairly quickly after the initial progarmming costs (speculate to accumulate).

It was all free when I started down at the Mormon places. Very nice people, very good computer systems for those days. I prefer to pay private companies like Genes personally, but why are their programmers behind the Salt Lake programmers of the 1970's?

I am glad I am not the only one who does not like the new tree, I was told that it was very popular. I find it takes longer to add family members now. On the old tree you could put all names in capital letters but you cannot do this now, I prefer the names in capital letters as I think they stand out more.