Find My Past Searches

[Peter Goodey]

they have reinvented the quarter system for civil registration records

More evidence that the root cause of their disastrous redesign was not having anyone involved who actually understood how and why subscribers use - or want to use - the system.

[jac65]

Hi

I thought the post was being sarcastic, I didn't think it was for real, different sites seem to use different terminology, FreeBMD refers to Mar, Jun, Sep & Dec quarters, the GRO themselves use a dropdown menu (Jan. Feb. Mar.) etc up to 1983, and from 1984 onwards you enter the required information in numerically. Using numeric for the quarter should not be a problem provided it clearly identifies that it is a quarter.

As far as I'm aware you can't purchase certificates through FMP, they refer you to the GRO.

Andy

[Megan Roberts]

Hi

As far as I'm aware you can't purchase certificates through FMP, they refer you to the GRO.

Andy

You may be right on that point.

The point is that any one who is not familiar with family history research will be confused by that. How are they to know that 1 = Jan, Feb, Mar?

As they never had that before why now? What does it add?

It is all part of the debacle surrounding the launch of their new site, which is not fit for purpose.

[helachau]

Only guessing but it may be technical.
The "quarters" may be held as values 1, 2, 3 or 4 on the data base. On output, the numerical values should be "translated/converted" into values that are more "user friendly" ie we see Jan-Mar, Apr-Jun etc.

Under the recent changes, the new output program hasn't been told to "translate/convert" the numeric values into the user friendly format - (a) deliberate? (b) failure to understand the requirement?. It simply takes the value held on the data base and pops that into the output field.

Just guessing - and to think I'd put all this sort of stuff behind me!!

[Wilkes_ml]

.my subscription expires on 24 September 2014. Next to that it states

"You currently have a 1 year Britain subscription. If you'd like to renew, wait until 21 December 2013 when your 10% loyalty discount will be applied." I suppose that most people using FMP do go backwards.....as indeed has FMP!

lol...I've only just started reading this thread as I'm having a nightmare with both Ancestry & FMP that I'm thinking of quitting! So I thought I'd best check when my subscription is up for renewal...6th August 2014, but wait...If I'd like to save more with my loyalty discount I need to renew by 4th November 2013

[Wilkes_ml]

I haven't actually "tested" the new searching facility properly yet, as I have been going into individual datasets, which I have now bookmarked individually so I can go straight to them (both on Ancestry & FMP). I guess I should do a full test of the site....but this should have been done before the release with a proper beta test by users, as pc games are tested (but even they are released before all bugs have been fixed).

[Sue Mackay]

Just a word of warning. I'm sure you are all far too careful to make the mistake I've just made, because I didn't look closely enough, but just in case....

All the various FMP searches have always had two boxes for the name, with the first name on the left and the surname on the right. Most of the new ones are the same...

BUT, if you are searching the Westminster Archives collection, be aware that you have to fill in the surname on the left and the first name on the right.

No wonder I couldn't find anything!

[Sue Mackay]

BUT, if you are searching the Westminster Archives collection, be aware that you have to fill in the surname on the left and the first name on the right.

This has now been corrected!

[Megan Roberts]

I have just watched an interview with 2 people from FMP and the editor of Who Do You Think You Are, who seems a very nice lady, but who unfortunately is no Jeremy Paxman. None UK listers - he is well known for his savage questioning of politicians etc.

If you want to see the interview I found it on FMP's front page (which tells you all you need to know about it - after all they wouldn't advertise it if they thought it reflected adversely on them). But I am sure it will be on WDYTYA or UTube,

[Peter Goodey]

FMP and related companies owned by the same group must be a significant source of advertising income for the magazine.