Thursday, April 20, 2017

Latest Update From Family Tree Maker 2017

The Facebook group page for Family Tree Maker Users had this information tonight:

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FTM 2017 UPDATE - APR 20 - 5PM UTAH TIME

GREAT IMPROVEMENTS AND A ROLLOUT PLAN

Results from expanded beta testing this week showed 94% are now able to sync (up from 89% last week) all but the largest of trees. And Ancestry continued to roll out modifications to their connection systems to help ensure that syncing works reliably for all users. The last major Ancestry system update will be live tomorrow (Friday) and we expect to start building our part over the weekend and have it ready to test and put into builds early next week.

INTRODUCING THE BETA TEST DRIVE

So now that tests show the vast majority of users are able to sync safely and successfully using FTM 2017, it’s time to test the ability of the system to handle more of them. Lots more of them. So we’ve agreed with in our meeting yesterday with Ancestry to start selectively rolling out the latest build. In what we are calling the “Beta TEST DRIVE Program”, the first 25,000 to sign up will have a chance to do more than just kick the tires.  

The concept is simple. Since most FTM users will have a great experience using FTM 2017, we’re encouraging anyone who has pre-purchased it to try it out for 48 hours. Unlike with regular beta testing, you won’t need to follow a plan, and you don’t need to have had previous testing experience. Just use FTM as you normally would. And perhaps catch up on your syncing and explore color coding and some of the other new features.

If you are able to sync OK during the test drive (and 19 out of 20 should be able to) and also pass some automated diagnostic tests that confirm that everything has gone as expected, you’ll be able to drive the new edition right out of the showroom so to speak and keep on using it. Then depending on how it goes with the first 25,000 test drivers, we will let more and more drivers onto the system. Watch for an email Monday afternoon with a link to sign up.

IN THE MEANTIME

While it will be great to have 25,000 more users joining our 6,000 beta testers early next week using FTM 2017, for the rest of those waiting patiently (or impatiently) for a final release, Ancestry will continue to leave all but syncing working so you can still receive Ancestry Hints, search, merge, and take advantage of all the other connections to Ancestry you current have.

You can safely continue to work on your research. We recommend working on the Family Tree Maker side if you have a choice, but if your most advanced tree is on Ancestry, that’s OK too. And if you find you have a pressing need to sync, please sign up for the beta test program. We’ve added a place on the sign up form (at www.familytreemaker.com) to indicate what your urgent need is and in many cases you can get access the same day.

NEXT STEPS AND OUTLOOK

We are very excited to be starting to roll out FTM 2017 to tens of thousands of users and will be working closely with Ancestry to allow as many as possible to upgrade as quickly as we can. We can’t really tell how long the rollout will take to complete until we start it, but by the time we provide an update this time next week, we should be in a position to tell you the timing more precisely, or, perhaps we’ll be ready for a general release. Stay tuned.

INFORMATION AND UPDATES

We will continue to post any updates here and on social media pages. To learn more about FTM 2017 there are FAQ’s and illustrated introductions to the new features here on our support site. Just enter FTM 2017 in the search field.

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Copyright (c) 2017, Randall J. Seaver

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