After much conversation and discussion with AncestryDNA today I am happy to report that all the missing DNA circles and NADs for my six testers has been restored. Still have not received a full explanation for what caused the disappeared Circles/NADs but glad to see them back on our pages.
Thursday, March 31, 2016
Wednesday, March 30, 2016
AncestryDNA is going to drive me to drink (the hard stuff)!
Every time I see that commercial on TV, the New Geico Spy commercial, it makes me think of AncestryDNA.
How you say?
The mom tells her super spy son on the roof of the building fighting the bad guys, "The Squirrels are back in the attic and your father won't call an exterminator – He says it is personal this time."
Well the AncestryDNA Squirrels are back. they are driving my crazy and it is personal this time. It is well known among my local genealogy students the accounts of my constantly fluctuating leaf matches on all the test I manage. Now Ancestry has taken it to a whole new level - the constantly fluctuating DNA circles and NADs. The sad part is it isn't just me, my all the students I have queried so far are experiencing the same thing.
So dear reader let me document the latest AncestryDNA issue below, among the many we have seen over the last four years. I maintain a spread sheet on all my testing results (AncestryDNA, FTDNA, GedMatch, 23andMe and DNALand), and because of this my statistics do not lie. I have/had the following DNA circles/NADs for my various family testers over the last two weeks.
Testers #1/2 are for my spouse's family and #3-6 are for my family.
Tester #1:
Middle March - 24 DNA circles and 20 NADs
March 26 - 14 DNA circles and 16 NADs
March 30 (Today) - 17 DNA circles and 16 NADs
Tester #2
Middle March - 14 DNA circles and 16 NADs
March 26 - 11 DNA circles and 10 NADs
March 30 (Today) - 12 DNA circles and 15 NADs
Tester #3
Middle March - 16 DNA circles and 2 NADs
March 26 - 8 DNA circles and 1 NAD
March 30 (Today) - 11 DNA circles and 1 NAD
Tester #4
Middle March - 6 DNA circles and no NADs
March 26 - 4 DNA circles and no NADs
March 30 (Today) - 4 DNA circles and no NADs
Tester #5
Middle March - 10 DNA circles and 8 NADs
March 26 - 4 DNA circles and 5 NADs
March 30 (Today) - 7 DNA circles and 6 NADs
Tester #6
Middle March - 4 DNA circles and 7 NADs
March 26 - 0 DNA circles and 7 NADs
March 30 (Today) - 2 DNA circles and 7 NADs
As has been the past leaf matches go up and down sometimes several times a day for my testers. Honestly, I am not sure what the heck they are doing out there in Provo. I have seen NADs and DNA circles go up and down on individual test but not by that much and that many testers (including my students).
So AncestryDNA what is your story this time? You still haven't fix some issues with my testers that I submitted before last Thanksgiving. I really do not want to have to put you in the corner with 23andMe. I understand that these products are in Beta but the wild swings I have seen over the last 15 days has me wondering how much we can trust with either product.
So has anyone else seen this issue? Sure would like some answers Ancestry!
Sunday, March 20, 2016
Dustup Between 23andMe and FTDNA
I guess it was only a matter of time before lawyers got their hands on our good thing -- genetic genealogy DNA testing -- and turned it into one hell of a legal mess (as most thing lawyers get their hands on turn into).
This new "thing" has so many moving parts, quite frankly I have decided to sit back and let the dust settle and see who or what is left standing. So for the time being, here are links to the major pieces of this nightmare as I have been able to find them.
I've said this before but IMHO, the minute the ABA allowed lawyers to advertise on TV was the minute that everything has gone to hell in a hand basket in this country. They have managed to screw up way to many and made this country into a very litigious society.
Here are the three links I have some far.
Family Tree DNA and GedMatch Dustup
Family Tree DNA Class Action Lawsuit Alleges Privacy Violations
Alaska class action lawsuit says Family Tree DNA posted info on public websites
Will it is what it is and if I hear anything else, I will report it here. I could say something here but given how 1st amendment free speech has been under attack lately, best to keep my yapper shut. I don't need and lawyers, subpoenas or lawsuits at this stage of my life.
No more 23andMe testing in this household!
I have mentioned this several times in classes in recent weeks, but now it is time to put a more public face, uh, lipstick on this pig. If you are in the DNA testing marketplace for a DNA test right now my best advice is "DO NOT" do any genetic DNA testing at the company 23and Me. They have gone completely off the deep end in regards to those of us who are interested in genetic genealogy. Quite frankly I have never seen anything quite like it.
But hey, don't take my word for it. Roberta Estes on her DNAeXplained blog does a much better job at this point of explaining the issues than I would, but everything she mentioned in her post I have experienced first hand.
So if you have been thinking about testing at 23endMe for genetic genealogy purposes, be sure to read Roberta's comments in her Closing Up Shop at 23andMe and the Trap post.
Caveat emptor!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)