Doesnt anyone else feel the same?

[Gwen@coggiecorner]

I was invited to preview the 1911 census but I've looked only at transcripts because I think the cost of the orginal image is far too expensive. I only spent £6.95 because I just wanted to be able to pass comments on the site yes I found mistakes but I am not going to report the corrections. I am fed up with doing this and feel that all these sites should get their acts together we pay them far to much money as it is and then we go and do part of their job for them.
I do not understand why they could not have invited a certain number of people to test the site for free.
I know we all want information for our family trees and I have a few mysteries of my own to solve but I am not going to pay the price they want. I feel that we should all stick together on this one and tell them that we will not use the site until the the price of viewing is lowered and the number of errors are reduced and it should not be us informing them where the errors are.
Realistically I know this wont happen as I am fully aware of the hold this hobby has on you once you start and our need to know more information about our rellies always wins us over.
I feel very strongly about this and just had to get it off my chest. I dont know for how long I will be able to hold out not using their site again but I am going to give it a good go

[Vivienne]

No I Don't Gwen.

It's not that long ago we were going to have to wait till 2011 before we even got a sniff of this census.
This is a test, the reason for a test is to iron out the mistakes.

Yes it is expensive to see the original images but you don't have to.

Those of us who are eager to see them & happy to pay will help iron out the errors so that you can see them in an improved state later next year.

Nothing can be perfect first time out.

[Olde Crone Holden]

Gwen

I got a good ticking off yesterday from FMP for my comments on this.

However, from the reply on my post, it would seem that the present charges are "a premium rate" for the beta test version only.

OC

[Lyn A]

I agree Gwynne and I told them when I filled out the questionnaire that I wouldn't pay those prices. I have not caved in as yet, so have bought no credits.

Mind you that has been made easier (or maybe harder) by the fact that although I can find my Da's mum & stepdad (or what I am sure is them) in the index, I cannot find my da or is sister....and they are who I wanted to find in the first place.

However, from the reply on my post, it would seem that the present charges are "a premium rate" for the beta test version only.

OC, maybe the feed back has made them realise that the prices they were charging are too steep.
As all of my English rellies are in London in 1911, it would cost me most of a few months of my disability pension to sight all the transcriptions for them all and that is not allowing for any mistakes.

[maggiemay]

I paid out because I wanted to know where my mother was at the time she was 2 years old and I knew she would not be with her mother and the good news is that I found her worth it for me

Margaret

[Darksecretz]

Doesnt anyone read the T&C's on the 1911 site??

[Rachel Scand]

That's interesting OC ... just read his reply
If the price is going to come down then I shall definitely not rush into spending anything and be content with searching the index

This will give me lots more time to vacuum, iron, wash up, prepare food, do the Christmas decorations and ooooo so many of those other things I try to avoid :(

[Merry Monty Montgomery]

£2.70 is a lot less than £45!

[Pamdidle]

I dont think its that bad. I've got my mom aged 3 and all her siblings on one census and my dad aged 9 and all his siblings on another. I didnt think l would be getting this information yet. A cert costs £7 for goodness sake. This is the only vice l've got so l dont feel guilty spending money on it.. Its what money is for, - to spend lol

[annswabey]

Gwen

I agree with you, and emailed them to tell them so when I was invited to look and it and fill in the questionnaire to provide feedback. There's only 1 county on there so far that I'm interested in and have looked at the index for a couple of people, but would not pay those prices to view. Happy to wait - it's not long, after all- until the price comes down. They should have provided free access to a number of people or nothing. Anyway, I thought it wasn't supposed to be available until 2009? How come they can provide it earlier, when there was such a hoo-ha about when it was going to be released.

[KiteRunner]

If they'd given free access to a limited number of people, from past experience I bet some of those people would have passed it on to others and the site would soon have been swamped with uninvited people using it for free.

[bev&kev]

It is expensive and just to have another moan ........... on three occasions I've found (after hours of searching!) 3 of my peeps where their number of years married has been transcribed as their age!

[Vivienne]

Can you imagine what would happen if they gave free access?

The site would crash like the 1901!

[Lensgirl]

on my survey i have put that there needs more information on the transcripts section. I have paid 30 credits for a couple of my direct ancestors in the counties available and am relatively happy with those as there arent loads, however i might pay the 10 units for a fully transcribed copy for non direct ancestors but certainly wouldnt buy the 30 credits for those

[Christine in Herts]

I winced at the price, too... but then I realised that in terms of simply paying for an image, it compares with Documents Online, say. And, where the original is at all decent, the images are very good - clear and in colour.

The reason it feels expensive is that, with censuses, you'll probably be wanting lots of images, not just one or two!

I still think the idea of earning credits for well-founded corrections is not unreasonable. They could do it on a first-come-first-served basis on date/time of receipt of info.

Christine

[Guy]

There is a very simply answer to those who moan about the price, errors etc.
Provide such a service yourself.

It is very easy to complain about such things but I notice the people who complain are seldom the people who offer a similar service to their fellow family historians.

If you can offer a better service, lower price, better transcripts, do it.
People will flock to your site. ;)
Cheers
Guy

[Jessbowbag]

I haven't spent any money on it - I'm digging back quite some years earlier now, and to be honest , the fact that my grandfather was recorded as Freddie, not Frederick isn't going to fundamentally change my life now. My Gran was recorded by her second name, but then that s the name i'd known her by anyway.

If the info is essential, yes pay out if you cant wait, otherwise you have to prioritise finances.

[Guinevere]

So far I've spent less than a quarter of the price of a train ticket to a record office and expect to pay the same amount when Monmouthshire is added.

All my ancestors come from counties many, many miles away from where I live so, to me, the chance to see original documents online from any site is well worth the money.

I was disappointed to have two "this page is unavailable" messages which meant I could only access the (mistranscribed) transcript. I think maybe we should get the credits back when we can download the original.

There weren't any real surprises but having the number of years married has narrowed down several searches for me so I'm very happy with that.

All hobbies cost money and genealogy can be an expensive one, but a lot cheaper than many others.

[Muggins in Sussex]

So far I've spent less than a quarter of the price of a train ticket to a record office.

All hobbies cost money and genealogy can be an expensive one, but a lot cheaper than many others.

I agree Gwynne, especially as most of my research is still firmly rooted in the 20th Century.

I am more than happy to forgo all sorts of things if I can discover who three of my grandparents were

[Simon in Bucks]

I paid £25 for 9 FULL screen views of the 1911 Census.

I have done 5 correct, and 1 incorrect (hey it was a George White......!!)

The only 'issue' - (and it's probably a good thing at the moment) is the searching.............to have to add in a surname is tricky if it's a popular one. But I'm in no rush to waste downloads.

But overall, I'm greatly impressed with the 1911 site - it works well. And I'd much rather have the opportunity now to look and have saved screen shots.

I still have 'oldies' in my family and I'm able to show them their parents who were in their teens and early 20's at 1911. It's a fascinating snap-shot.

I look forward to the site going live in 2009 and I'll then be able to search and download away.

The last few days have been a massive bonus to those of us able to look in certain counties and has been a great surprise being so near to Xmas.

Good luck everyone in your searching...........