Family Search/Family Tree~Where Is It Now?

This is the new home page of Family Search found at familysearch.org.  New versions always present new challenges but also ultimately better functionality.  It's worth it.  Repeat three times!

The page is now colorful and animated so every 2 seconds another photo flashed onto the screen that is representative of one of the six icons shown at the bottom of the screen print above.

Some of the confusion with the new update surround the fact that we once had at least nine links on the home page and now there are three large links centered on the page and then one on the right that says in small type volunteers for indexing and a help button.  As an example the all important Learn Tab is now missing!  The developers have responded to lots of inquiries about this by letting us know that when all the new languages were included if required extra space.  They gave the example of the Russian version of the site requiring three times more space than English.  All you techies will have to wrap your heads around that one.  I am taking their word for it!

Here is a short explanation of the icons on the picture above.

#1 icon highlighted in orange is where you go to create the Fan Chart on yourself or any individual you place in the center of the fan.

 #2 icon is a Camera and this is where you go to add photos and stories about your ancestors.

 #3 is the Family Tree icon where you can see your bow tie pedigree chart.  Add to it, edit it, collaborate, etc.

 #4 Is where you will be able to Search all the record collections.  It looks like the old home page but you must now go down a level or two to get there. (Bummer!)  The search boxes are located there and also the map with the collections for the various worldwide locality searching.  And this is where they have hidden placed the Wiki from the old Learn Tab.  There has been a lot of grumbling about this but they are holding fast.  They did add a Search Link at the top of the home page but are not planning on adding anything else that has been moved at this point.  The catalog for Salt Lake is there, genealogies or old member submitted pedigrees and family group sheet, and books.  That page looks very similar to what we are use to from the previous version.  We will get use to the visual enhancements and navigation issues soon enough!

One very cool thing is that they are now offering expert help for individual research problems and this offering is found in the Help Center section of the site.

 #5 All About Indexing
 #6  Live Help & The Help Center

When you click on any of the icons a large Getting Started box will pop up and guide you through the information you seek.

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The second 1/3 of the home page is currently dedicated to information on uploading photos and writing stories to attach to your ancestors individual person View in the Family Tree. 

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The last 1/3 of the page is currently dedicated to What's New on the Site and locating the Family History Centers worldwide.

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You will note that if you are looking for the Family Search Blog with current news and updates it is a link on the bottom of the Home Page on the right.  The Help Center is accessed by clicking on the Top of any screen in the HELP link.

Here is a Look at the Learning Center Page

When you click on HELP in the upper right hand corner of any page this small pop-up lists the various types of help.  Call, Chat, Send a Message, etc.  The bottom on is the Help Center which then opens to the following page.

 

The first choice is Product Support.  This is where you will find answers to issues over your account, user name and password retrieval, common fixes for Family Tree problems and a 162 page User Guide for Family Tree with every possible scenario and how to remedy encountered problems.

The second choice is Getting Research Assistance that I mentioned in the search section as a new feature.

The third choices is Getting Started (for beginners).

The fourth choice is the many Online Classes and the Video Tutorials that use to be under the Learn Tab.  All the Five Minute Genealogy YouTube Videos are on this page as well.

Disclaimer:  This site has been up only a couple of weeks in its revised version.  Even as I have been working on this something has temporarily disappeared.  When it gels a little more I will make a PowerPoint on it but for now I think we'll just hold here.  I know these photos are pretty small but at least will give you an idea of what the pages look like right now. 

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Here is the long and winding path to the Family Tree Training Videos that are so helpful in learning how to use the Tree.

Help>Help Center>Product Support>Family Tree Icon>More Training Videos

This one is way too deep, hopefully they will adjust it.