FindMyPast - partial free access for Remembrance Day

[Nick_Ips]

Just a caution: I can't see a closing time stated, but last year it was 10am rather than 1 minute to midnight as other sites tend to be, so don't have a lie in on Monday assuming you have all day.

I agree Chris, the last time there was a FindMyPast free period the access was cut at 10am Monday morning while I was in the middle of doing something, even though the marketing implied the access was free Friday through Monday.

Treat anything after 10am Monday as a bonus, but aim to be finished before then.

[bevj]

I've just got an email saying

Free access to Findmypast runs from 10:00 BST on Friday 18 October to 23:59 BST on Monday 21 October.

I am feeling quite stupid to be honest as I find their indexes and records impossible to navigate and have only found one new record of any interest.  Too late to be bothered now.

Bev

[Chris Doran]

Hmm. In the event, it was free all night and went off at 10 this morning (22nd), presumably when someone got to the office to pull the plug.

[Chris Doran]

Newspapers now free, but be warned: I've just hit a Fair Usage limit of 200 records per 24 hour period that I'm sure wasn't there in previous free weekends. I was skimming entire 60-page issues for a weekly column that the search wasn't finding so met it quite quickly.

[Romilly]

I’ve just been looking at the free Newspapers on FindMyPast, and found an item about my late Uncle’s suicide in Swansea in 1930. Or rather, I found a link saying there was an item about him, (Archibald Wilson) but I can’t seem to find the item ☹️

Can anyone else find it please? This is the item concerned:

Romilly.

[bearkat]

It's under the headline "60 years ago".

[Romilly]

Thanks Bearkat, - I’ll have another wade through…

Found it!

Romilly.

[Cell]

Newspapers now free, but be warned: I've just hit a Fair Usage limit of 200 records per 24 hour period that I'm sure wasn't there in previous free weekends. I was skimming entire 60-page issues for a weekly column that the search wasn't finding so met it quite quickly.

Hi,
The limits are under the terms conditions tab  on their site, then  under  the fair  usage tab  . Even full  sub holders  have a 24 hr  maximum limit (which is  500  for them  ).
 I am not sure  how long they've had these conditions regarding the limits for  their records , as I don't  think Ive ever come  close to looking at  200 records within 24hrs during all their  free weekends  over the years ,so I wouldn't  have noticed if they  previously  had any restrictions or if it is just recently. 

My guess is  it maybe to stop some users who have  genealogy businesses   downloading thousands upon thousands of  records for their  own commercial use , monetary gains, hence all the limits for all accounts  (minus  the pay as you go of course).
Kind regards 
https://www.findmypast.com.au/help/articles/4411067042577-11-fair-usage

[Chris Doran]

I'm pretty sure it's new. In the past, I've often clocked up hundreds of views when I needed to scan and re-scan entire newspaper issues when the Search was being unfriendly. Sometimes I eventually had to concede that the column just wasn't published that week. I'll now make more use of "offline" searches and Show Reel, though it isn't always possible to pick out articles from the thumbnails. And no, I'm not making any money from this.

The good news is that "24 hours" actually means "next day" and I was able to get back on after midnight today rather than continuing from 2pm when I was locked out yesterday.