ThruLines is gone

[Zaphod99]

I found this possible story.

https://dna-explained.com/2023/09/03/ancestrys-thrulines-are-a-hot-mess-right-now-but-here-are-some-great-alternatives/

Zaph

[Cell]

DNA tests aren’t free

True.

As a  long time , fully paid sub holder, I have world access (been with them for years since 2004  ,  almost 20 years  ) and  am now currently  paying   £179.99 a year. - their prices have almost doubled in the past few years! , ( I was paying around 100 pounds a few years ago)
. I wouldn't  be annoyed  by Ancestry  giving  non sub holders access to the  features that are linked to  the DNA only .
 
It  really wouldn't  hurt them  to give access to non sub holders the  few features  linked to  the DNA kits that they paid for , like thrulines. You pay for your kit, which  isn't cheap. 
Or they could do something like myheritage , and just pay a once only unlock fee to access  features of the dna bit.

I have full access to  features with my  (ancestry uploaded) DNA on Myheritage , and don't pay a sub  with them  -  Why Ancestry can't  do something  similar  is beyond me , they are  the most greediest company  I've  ever come across,  and now acquired by Blackstone in the past couple of years,  their practices are getting  even worse.

The other thing I don't  like about them, they never ever give discounts to long time sub holders  - you have to actually cancel your  sub and sign up again with a special offer  to get a discount.  They are not loyal  at all to their  long time customers.  All they care  about  is a quick buck. 

I am probably going to cancel  my sub next year ( my  auto annual  renewal is in April)  after all these years  of being with them - I've had enough of their    well over the top excessive fee rises and their lack of any discounts  for us long time customers. They totally  lack customer care.

 I  certainly wouldn't  be annoyed by non sub holders accessing thru lines and ethnicity, it's a drop in the ocean. They ( myself included) have  paid good money  for their tests - these few features should stay free with anyone who pays for a  test with them, regardless  if they haven't a sub -They make massive profits by full access sub holders like myself. They do not  need to charge for things such as thrulines. Pure greed.

Kind regards

[Jomot]

I manage a test for someone who doesn't have a sub, and the common ancestor 'loop' you describe is happening on their account too. 

I agree that the way they've presented it makes it look like there's an IT glitch - they tell you to "View a common ancestor to see the relationship path that connects you" and there's a hyperlink called View Relationship to enable you to do just that, but clicking on it just loops you back to the match list.

Personally I wish they'd just stop meddling around with things that don't matter and sort out their woeful Search facility instead. 

[Sinann]

I’m confused about this ‘free stuff’.

Are you saying ThruLines was only part of the records sets search part of Ancestry and therefore only available to people with a sub and then Ancestry gave it to DNA testers for free?

I thought it was created for the DNA section and hadn’t existed before it appeared there.

Anyone who bought a DNA test after TrueLines had been added to that section will understandably think it’s part of the package they paid for.

[phil57]

If they bring in two step verification there will probably be no point, as I have no mobile so won't be able to get into it!

It would depend how they implement it, but many of my various logins that are set up for 2FA have the option of receiving a passcode to my registered email address, with no need to use a phone at all.

Edit: And that indeed appears to be the case. Just logged in and was asked if I want to enable 2FA now, although it will become mandatory soon. The help article says, "Two-step verification is an extra layer of security for your Ancestry® account. Two-step verification adds a second step to verify it’s you—a code sent to your phone or email that you'll enter (after your email/username and password) when signing in to Ancestry."

[Pheno]

I still have Thrulines as I pay a full sub.  However, I have noticed over the last few weeks that they are becoming more and more spurious.  In some cases the proposed descents include people with entirely different names, dates and places of birth.  I know previously this was part of Ancestry's algorithm but generally at least one of these criteria matched but now often none do.

Wonder if this is what has happened to the sub paying Ancestry members and possibly there is a big glitch.

Pheno

[Sinann]

ThruLines is back this morning, maybe that’s because I’m using my iPad, have to check the laptop later.

[Glen in Tinsel Kni]

I find (or should that be used to find), that Thrulines was useful for pinpointing inaccurate trees, all those trees that showed a certain pedigree line which could easily be disproved with a few minutes looking at shared matches. I don't even have the option of using the library access as it's not available in my area and the two step verification is going to put an end to the alternative option I had.
There used to b a way to view the list of names in another tree (but not the actual tree), without a subscription via the media gallery but that's now gone too.

Oh well, thank goodness they brought in group messaging, at least I can send one message to dozens of people who can collectively ignore me  rather than dozens of individual messages, a really useful 'feature' as I'm sure everyone will agree.

[Biggles50]

Now in a typical Thruline we get a DNA match and the line from them to the MRCA.

In the line from the DNA match there is Tom with his Father Dick, Grandfather Harry and Great Grandfather Bill shown.

Looking at the trees via the evaluate link of each of them shows that Dick’s Father is not Harry but Eddie.

Harry’s Father is then shown not as Bill but as Charlie.

Thrulines is bust.

I have a DNA match who is managed via his Maternal Grandmother with whom I am in Ancestry Messaging contact with.

The Thruline goes from her Grandson via her to a MRCA.

I share zero DNA with her yet I share DNA with her Son In Law.