LDS Tech

David March 15th, 2008

Among those even remotely active in genealogy, people are wondering when the New FamilySearch site will be available. The first public beta tests happened during the spring of 2006. The Family History department announced that during the summer of 2007, a few temple districts would be given access, and it would roll out slowly over 2007 and hopefully finishing up by the end of 2008 (see current Google Maps display of this roll out).

Very little information has been publicly announced by the Family History department regarding the functionality of the new site. But once the first beta testers were able to review it, some of this information has spread. But for those who already have access to the site, they have confirmed that the functionality has changed from the initial beta tests. This confirms the general knowledge that a primary reason for the slow roll out is to not only to increase the performance of the searches and add capacity to the data repository, but to make critical corrections to the functionality, making it easier to use by everyone.

At the Layton Utah Kays Creek stake family history fair, I presented what information I had found regarding the New FamilySearch site (you can refer to a PDF version of my notes and slides).

Here is a list of the features / functionality that I have found:

• Provide mechanism to separate guesses from fact-based conclusions
  • Collect life events from various sources (partial collection actually increases duplication)
  • Create “personal folder” to store events by person, even if there exist conflicting sources of the same data
  • Combine personal folders into a pedigree to preserve relationships
• Create a master source of genealogical records combined from temple records, membership records, Ancestral File (AF), Pedigree Resource File (PRF), and International Genealogical Index (IGI).
  • Automatic matching based on multiple sources, easiest when all sources are identical
  • Automatic matching more difficult when similar, but combined when parents and/or children are identical
  • Human assisted matching when data is similar but not conclusive
• Divide and Conquer – As members, from the first time we login we will see what research needs to be done in our family. Work can be done collaboratively and shared with other researchers instantly. (General public won’t have access with this current release, but they will in future release)
• Agree to Disagree - Support for linking together multiple versions of the same individual’s data (maintaining differences / opinions documented by different individuals), and tools to assist in reconciling differences with other family members.
• It is so simple to submit names for temple work, everyone can do it! – Processing names for temple work has been simplified from 16 complicated steps to just 5 simple steps. Verification of temple work occurs as you enter your ancestor’s information. You can reserve the work for specific individuals. The temple will update the status of work completed for everyone to see by the time you arrive home.

1. Add ancestor information to FamilySearch.org

2. Select individuals for temple work

3. Print Family Ordinance Request document and take to temple (NO DISKS)

4. Temple recorder prints cards while you wait

5. Perform temple ordinances, FamilySearch.org updated the same day

• Secure by Design – Personal privacy and security has been designed into the system from the beginning. Default access limits living individuals in pedigree to prevent identity theft
  • If YOU submit it, YOU can see it.
  • If it’s from OTHER sources, you can see:
    • Yourself – everything
    • Current Spouse – name, gender, marital information
    • Minor Children – name, gender, birth date
    • Adult Children – name, gender
    • Ancestors/Descendants, Direct Line – name, gender
    • Aunts, Uncles, Cousins, Spouse’s Family – nothing
• Easy to learn and use – Not only has some of the top internet designers helped design the page layout and usability of the application, but a host of online training (including videos) is available for new users.
• Visualize your ancestors – Interactive pedigree viewers, life event timelines, and Google Maps with locations of life events make it easier to see the information about your ancestors and their families. Support for loading photos, multimedia, and other documents are currently in the planning stage. (See http://labs.familysearch.org/ for prototypes of new ideas)
• Add or modify data in more ways than one – Support to upload data from PAF or other current genealogy programs (GEDCOM), enter data directly on web site, use new genealogy programs which will link to online repository and synchronize when connected to internet

• New features? – http://new.familysearch.org/ (click on News and Updates)
  • Telephone Number or E-mail Address Needed for Registration
  • Easier Search Results
  • Easier Entering of Dates and Places
  • New Person Identifiers
  • See All Sources for an Individual
  • Edit Large Notes
  • Claim Information That You Contributed before the New FamilySearch
  • More Easily Combine Duplicate Records
  • Quick Process to Combine Duplicate Spouses, Fathers, and Mothers
  • Restrictions on GEDCOM Files
  • Click the New Temple Symbol [ ] to See Needed Ordinances
  • (many other features online since I compiled this list December 2007)

• Genealogy , News