Comments on: Increase in fair usage limit

By: S Nulty

S Nulty — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 12:18:31 +0000

I queried the value of views within a subscription and how to check usage, and have today received the following reply from FMP.

“If you use Pay As You Go credits rather than a subscription on the site, 1911 census records will cost you 10 credits to view a transcription and 30 credits to view an original image.

The same amount of credits will be used when you have a subscription.

Unfortunately there is no credit usage counter available on the site as of yet but this is something we hope to implement very shortly.”

By: Chris

Chris — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 14:40:52 +0000

When I took out my subscription I thought is would be the same as the other sites, I had no idea about the maximum credit usage of 5000 per month. As a serious amateur with a large family tree I would exceed this usage in the first few months of my membership after which it would decrease. If I had known in advance of this restriction I would not have taken out the membership. Can somebody please tell me how I can find out how many credits I have used? If an organisation is to charge for excess credits it MUST provide readily available information on the amount of credit usage to all who have taken out a subscription. Not to do this will lead to disputes with its customers and deter others signing up.

By: SNulty

SNulty — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 14:48:47 +0000

I have only just noticed this limit. If it is set at 5,000 per month, then why is it that the floating cursor over the “View” option says that it will require 10/30 credits “unless I have a subscription”.

I have a subscription so how many credits are used when I view a transcription/image if it isn’t the 10/30 referred to above?

And I would also like to see some way of finding out what my current usage is. If there is a limit, then a tally must be kept somewhere and it should be visible to me.

By: L.COX

L.COX — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 12:56:55 +0000

The fair usage policy is near the bottom of Terms and Conditions but I still don’t know how to find out how many have been used … this issue has made me regret taking out a years full subscription as I now hardly dare use the site in case I go over credits.
I am still looking forward hopefully to an answer

By: G Edwards

G Edwards — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 21:59:33 +0000

I have to agree with both of the above comments as a serious amateur genealogist trying to undertake a one name study of my surname and investigating all the various other branches setting a limit is unreasonable especially without any knowledge if you have exceeded your credits or not. I searched high and low on the website before taking out a subscription and didn’t find any mention of a limit had I known I probably would not have taken out my subscription, especially with the cost of the 1911 census. I would have gone to other sites where there is no such limit. even if it meant waiting a few years for the 1911 census to appear elsewhere. I also notice that L Cox left a message back in October 2008 which still remains unanswered on this blog.
Seems you are happy to take our money but not keen to point out the drawbacks or answer questions. What is the point of the blog?

By: Bob Margolis

Bob Margolis — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 08:48:12 +0000

I have just done the calculations for the research ,u wife undertakes as a serious amateur with a large family tree. This limit is inadequate for the serious amateur and as a result you have lost a potential subscriber.
Nor does it protect against a professional doing small, but expensive, amounts of research for, say, overseas customers.
Thus the policy achieves no objective except to annoy genuine potential users; well done!