Messages on Ancestry DNA

[kinnigit]

Recently I've found new message notification to be hit and miss, also that newly received messages from someone that I replied to previously may briefly appear at the top of my list of messages, then disappear.  If I have remembered the name of the person who sent it, I can search and find what was the latest message has been shifted down to wherever the thread is chronologically when I last replied to it.
The new messaging system is much worse than what it replaced.

[jillruss]

The last lady I messaged is in Oz. My message to her is still showing as received rather than read. However, the little green dot indicating she was online was showing yesterday when, due to the time lapse, it would have been the middle of the night over there. Yes, she might well be an insomniac/night owl, whatever, but I think the system ain't working.

I've emailed Ancestry and spelled out the problem as I see it but I'm not holding my breath. I'm sure they'll reply in good time but it will probably be one of those stock answers they, and other firms, churn out these days which never really answer the question as posed.

I was thinking of getting another relative to take a test but I don't think I'll bother now. There seems little point if you're left up in the air as to whether your messages are actually getting through.

[Romilly]

Hopefully it’s a glitch that will be resolved soon... My theory is that the people you’ve messaged aren’t getting an email alert, and so don’t know that you’ve messaged them!

I do think it helps encouraging other relatives to test... I’ve run out of willing participants:-(

[emeraldcity]

Once again finding that I'm not receiving any notifications of messages - had two waiting on my Ancestry inbox and definitely no emails informing me (also checked spam filter etc). Really not sure why the system is so hit and miss?

[Albufera32]

I just noticed today, so I'm not sure if this is a new feature or I was just too unobservant to notice it before, but in the list of people I have messaged on the left hand side of the screen, if the last message was sent by me, if the person has read the message there is a tick beside their name.

[Janethepain]

Because of Albufera32's comment, I went to look at my messages, to see if there were any ticks - and there were. However, even better there was a new message, the first unsolicited contact for many months probably 6 months any way. I spent some time answering the query ( I did have lots of info I could give to the sender), and unbelievably I noticed I had another new message.

This one was in reply to a message I sent. I sent it on 18/12/2019, and she replied 18/12/20. I never cease to be amazed, but it is true, don't ever assume you won't get an answer, just because the recipient doesnt reply straight away!

As it happens, it was a very short message but the sender did supply vital information about an NPE, confirming the biological father to be someone other than the surname given in their tree,  and the same name I had given in my original contact. I think showing you have done your research (as opposed to just 'fishing'), helps you to get a response, even if it might be delayed for a year or so!!

Jane

[kr236rk]

Messages on Ancestry DNA - this system is going from bad to worse - I 'sometimes' receive an alert that someone has messaged me, therefore there is a chance I miss messages.

But recently, Ancestry has started deleting 'white space' from any message I send, so I can't space my sentences or paragraphs - the member I am messaging just receives a solid block of text.

Have complained to Ancestry about this & received a complaint about the 'block text' from another member. No other message / text system I use does this, it must be down to Ancestry - or the block-text effect would happen everywhere.

Any ideas please?

Thanks.

[Janethepain]

I have noticed this too. I usually split my messages into little blocks of information, to make it easy for the recipient to receive, understand & reply to. This takes much more time thinking and typing, rather than opening your mouth and splurging it all out.

It is annoying that all that thinking is negated, when the message is re-formated into one dense block of facts!  Very annoying!

Jane

[kr236rk]

Thanks Jane

So it's not just me?

Ancestry 'upgraded' their message service 2 years ago & it has been chaos ever since. Had a promising contact I messaged who didn't reply because they said - at length - the block-text message I was forced to send looked like 'spam' to them; so Ancestry is being actively negative in members' attempts to contact one another & discover more about our families.

This is infuriating - I rely on dna-testing & contacts because my family tree is so difficult to establish, Ancestry is just adding to the difficulty with their silly message programme, which is not fit for purpose I feel.