12 March 2006 LostCousins Newsletter
Newsletter - March 2006
CONTENTS
* Save time when entering your relatives
* Find more contacts using 'Extended Matching'
* Save money with a joint subscription
To visit the main LostCousins site please go to www.LostCousins.com
WE WON - THANKS TO YOU!
You may have read in recent newsletters about how AOL were blocking all of the automated emails we were sending to thousands of our members who are AOL users. These automated emails included log-in details, password reminders, and - most important of all - messages from 'lost cousins'.
Thanks to the efforts of the many members who complained to AOL, they have relented, and our emails are at last getting through normally. This really was a case of David beating Goliath!
Over the next two months we are going to be introducing a large number of improvements to the LostCousins site - and we'll also be announcing our plans for the future.
However, it seems that because our membership has been growing so fast, a lot of members are not aware of some of the features we added last year.
We're going to remedy this by improving the information on the site, but we thought it would also be useful to use this newsletter to detail some of the changes that have been made in recent updates, and explain how to get the best out of the site.
SAVE TIME WHEN ENTERING YOUR RELATIVES
Everyone in the same household has the same census references, and they usually have the same surname too. So why should you have to retype this information for every member of the household? The answer is - you don't!
Once you've entered the first person in the household just click the + symbol at the end of the line - and we'll fill in most of the information for you. Most of the time all you'll need to enter is the first name and age, which makes it really quick!
FIND MORE CONTACTS WITH 'EXTENDED MATCHING'
The main purpose of LostCousins is to find people who share the same ancestors. But even if someone doesn't share the same ancestors they could still have valuable information about your family tree!
'Extended matching' allows you to find other members who have entered the same relatives, even though you don't seem to share an ancestor. Usually the two of you will be related by marriage.
If you're a LostCousins subscriber you'll automatically find out about any extended matches when you click the Search button. However, even if you're not a subscriber you may still be contacted by someone else who is.
Extended matches are shown in italics on your My Cousins page.
Some of the most important information on the LostCousins site appears in pop-up windows.
For example, if there's a tick on your My Ancestors page (indicating that one or more other LostCousins members share that particular relative) you can click on the tick to see who it is.
Similarly on your My Cousins page you can find out which of your relatives you share with each person listed there - and also how that person is related to each relative.
Especially important is the pop-up that appears when you make contact with another LostCousins member.
Whether you're making the first contact or responding to an email you've received, there's a pop-up box that appears - and unless you can see this box you can't communicate with other members.
Fortunately there's a simple solution. Just hold down the Ctrl key when you click on 'Make contact' or 'Reply' and the pop-up will appear whatever your settings.
Alternatively in the Tools menu of Internet Explorer select Internet Options, then Privacy. Click on Pop-up Blocker Settings then move the slider from High to Medium. Or leave it on High, but add lostcousins.com to the list of sites allowed to use pop-ups.
SAVE MONEY WITH A JOINT SUBSCRIPTION
A Single subscription to LostCousins costs 10 pounds, but a couple can take out a Joint subscription for just 12.50!
However the joint subscription option can't be selected unless you've previously linked the accounts together.
Suppose Mary wants to link her account to that of her husband, John. First she needs to find out John's 'personal code', which is displayed on his My Summary page (you'll see it near the top).
Then Mary needs to enter that code on her own My Details page, in the box labelled 'Personal Code of Other Member', and select 'Spouse' under 'Relationship to Other Member'.
When Mary next goes to the Subscribe page she'll be able to choose from a Single or a Joint subscription.
You can create the link at any time - in fact, we'd suggest you do it now!
Wouldn't it be terrible if we found one of your 'lost cousins' but couldn't tell you about it? Unfortunately this scenario occurs far too often - because email addresses go out of date very quickly.
When your email address changes (as it surely will - very few people keep the same address for ever) you can alter it in our records by logging-in and going to your My Details page.
But not all of us are as well-organised as that. What happens if we forget? There are two ways you can safeguard your link to LostCousins.
One is to enter your postal address, and the other is to fill in the 'Emergency Contact Email' box. This can be another email address of your own, or it could be the email address of a close friend or relative.
Of course, we'll only use these alternative contact methods if our emails to your primary address are returned, and remember, all of your contact details are confidential - we never ever pass information to anyone else unless you expressly ask us to.
Don't lose touch - go to your My Details page now!
Driving around the English countryside in the summer we frequently come across roadside notices headlined P-Y-O or Pick-Your-Own. Isn't there something special about fruit that you've actually picked yourself?
But what we want to talk about isn't fruit. It's more to do with the fruits of your labours, and the password that protects them.
When you joined LostCousins you will have been allocated a 7-character password made up of meaningless letters and numbers. These temporary passwords aren't intended to be easy to remember - we want you to Pick-Your-Own!
If you choose your own password you'll find it much easier to remember. All you need to do is log-in, go to your My Details page, enter your new password in two boxes ('Password' and 'Confirm password'), then click Submit.
AND FINALLY.......
We've got another great offer coming up, and once again it will be exclusive to LostCousins members. It's yet another reason to tell the people you know about the benefits of free membership at LostCousins!
The LostCousins Team
http://www.LostCousins.com
info@LostCousins.com
© Copyright 2006 Peter Calver & Lost Cousins Ltd
Please do NOT copy or republish any part of this newsletter without permission - which is only granted in the most exceptional circumstances. However, you MAY link to this newsletter or any article in it without asking for permission - though why not invite other family historians to join LostCousins instead, since standard membership (which includes the newsletter), is FREE?