Suggestions

I posted this on a thread last night that has now been deleted.

Instead of the current word match that can bring up thousands of irrelevant posts especially for names that have an alternate use such as West or Ball why not point people to search the discussions thread using advance search. Perhaps a little more instruction on how to use it. and an explanation that the poster may no longer be a member if it is an older post. In fact I often for instance do a search on relevant place names for me such as Aldbourne and sometimes come up with interesting results.

Hi Lady Kira, thanks for your suggestion. What we're doing at the moment is matching the tree owner's surname and place of birth with the message boards. We feel that this shows members immediately that there is information out there that is relevant to them, as usually the tree owner is the person who has registered.
I will certainly pass your suggestion on. As you know, we are always looking at ways to improve the site. We are keen to let members know just how useful our Community section can be and this an area we do plan to work on over the coming months.
Kind regards,
Estelle

Estelle.
I had a quick look through the 79 "matches " for my surname & found less than half a dozen.
Another point. Genes had brought up these matches for my former married name, which means nothing to me as I have been divorced for over 20 years & re married for 3.
I have no interest in my former married name & am not researching it. It should not be showing on my tree as my ex husband & my daughters are all living.

Others have already told you the problems it is causing.

Many of my links given were from general chat using the noun ball so totally irrelevant.
Also the current system is for just one surname and one place.
What about my grandparents surname and their birthplaces?

My suggestion would teach people how to find those threads.

I am afraid the boards are dying at the moment and it is the boards that are GR's unique selling point.
As we discussed GR is often a persons first venture into genealogy. I hope that we can whet their appetite by what we post.

You are lucky wise child'
I have 50 pages on each including every post someone has made about foot ball and cricket etc

Estelle

If you really want to IMPROVE..take notice of the people who use the site.

Their experience is of far more value than some of the well-intentioned, but nonetheless hare-brained schemes your people come up with.

We realise you think you are doing things for the best, but it really makes no sense to ignore the tidal wave of negative feedback you get about some of the silly things you try

If you used the boards, you'd know why you get the reaction you do.

Lady Kira.
My sympathy, but be thankful you don´t come from Birmingham.
The number of "discussions" about that is endless.
Would imagine London´s even worse.!!!

It would not br so bad if they were in date orfer and recent pages showed first.

I can do that when I use advanced search.

I do think an example of how to use the and / or / not option would be helpful.

Estelle,

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE listen to the members whom you are supposed to value for the work they do on the boards and who are responsible for many of the 'Successes' you publicise.



You keep stating "We feel.......this....we feel that.... " but how much do you and your team actually know about how these boards work? Have any of you ever spent a day or two using them to help others or are the team working by theory only?


How much does the team know about Genealogy and the way to go about searching? Have any of them completed their family tree or helped someone with theirs?



Whilst it is understood that GR needs to keep up to date, It would be considerate of you to ask those of us who use the boards constantly, how things could be improved without just going ahead and doing something which is unhelpful, unproductive and causing great distress within this community.



I do hope you are reading all of the comments on this thread.......



Cx.

My home page tells me that there are more than 1000 "discussions" containing information about Oldham



Of the first 10 that I looked at ................ one was a surname, and the remaining 9 were place names in census returns


Not one single jot of usefulness!



Please, please, do pay attention to the members who are trying to tell you what works and what doesn't work.


We are the ones who helped to make GR so great by the the work that we do on the Community Boards.


I have one more month left on my subscription ........................ and am thisclose to not renewing because of all the problems, and yes, the disrespect being shown.



sylvia

Does this mean that there is not 263 discussions about the meercat family name.
Oh silly me of course not its just people mentioning my board name.
Genes reunited are just pretending that there is a whole family of meercats on these boards.
They nearly got me there. :-) ;-)

Don't be glum Meercat. You will find that there are a 'mob' of 13 or so Meerkatz on here somewhere.

They are probably your third cousins four times removed........ :-D


Cx

They are the criminal side of the family that we pretend we are not related
to. :-D

What fun for you, meercat - George is mentioned, yes? (the imposter) ;-)

Of course George the impostor is mentioned.I have to spit three times and turn around once when he is mentioned. :-|

:-D :-D

I believe this is your family Meercat don't know why they are not on homepage discussions ?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&NR=1&v=G1FV7dND0NY

and George?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1hpIDcQIdsI

Persie

ok now you know the first one is Georges son known as young drunken
George but I don't know why.
But you can see the family likeness to George the impostor.
:-D