AUTHORED BY LAURA DANSBURY (FROM ANCESTRY.COM)
In January, we began testing a new version of our image viewer to improve consistency and reliability for many different types of browsers, with a cleaner look and interactive features. It is a Flash based experience that provides tools to help you get the most out of census documents. There are many new features but some of the most noticeable ones are the yellow and green highlights over the person you are searching for and his or her household. The viewer also offers brief narratives to explain the data in each column, deep zoom, and a transcribed name column on the left side of the image.
Thousands of members tried it out and sent us feedback and suggestions. Thank you very much!
Based on your feedback, we updated the viewer, added new features, and fixed some bugs too. The interactive image viewer has now become the primary viewer for the completed 1911 UK Census.
What if you don’t have Flash installed?
The older viewers are still available. If you try to view an image in the interactive viewer and you don’t have Flash, your previous default viewer will be offered instead. If you are viewing images on a non-Flash enabled device such as an iPad, the non-Flash viewer will be automatically substituted.
Can you manually switch to a different viewer?
Yes, you can. There is a link to switch to your previous default viewer located in the options menu under the actions button. If you previously turned off the interactive image viewer, you can turn it back on by clicking the Interactive Image link that appears in the upper right side of advanced image viewer. Example below:
How can you send feedback?
Please use the “Send comments” link at the top of the viewer.
Thank you for your input and suggestions on the beta version of the interactive image viewer. The feedback helped us improve the viewer. We will continue to read your feedback and use it to improve Ancestry.com.au. Start searching the 1911 census now with the new interactive image viewer: