Web Indexing Goes Live on FamilySearch.org

Web Indexing on FamilySearch.org may still be rolling out in stages, but it now appears as a main menu selection under the Indexing tab when I log in. Apparently, both the local, downloaded Indexing program and the Web Indexing program are both still available.

 However, if I select Web Indexing from the menu, I go directly to the Web Indexing program.

My immediate reaction was to try to do indexing on my iPad.  After signing him on my iPad, I went directly to the Web Indexing program.  Since my iPad is an iPad Pro, I can use the external keyboard instead of the on-screen keyboard. If I were using the on-screen keyboard, the process would be measurably more difficult. However, with the external keyboard, I see no reason why I could not use my iPad Pro for indexing.

The issue here, of course, is that Indexing is a data-intensive activity. Not only are we trying to read the handwritten, historical documents, but we are also entering large amounts of information into the computer. Although having a web-based program facilitates the use of mobile devices, the existence of the program does not overcome the limitations of entering information using an on-screen virtual keyboard. The main limitation being the size of the screen and the amount of information that can be reviewed at the same time. The larger screen of the iPad Pro and the use of an external keyboard overcome most of those problems.

My wife, who is an experienced indexer, after trying the web-based program, returned to the desktop-based program because she said it was more efficient and faster for her. In a meeting held recently, discussing web-based indexing, several concerns were expressed about the difficulty in converting existing indexers who were used to using the desk-based program to a new web-based program. it remains to be seen whether or not adding a web-based program will attract new, younger indexers. It may certainly attract more affluent users who have access to tablets such as the iPad Pro and the Microsoft Surface.

One of the major advantages that I see to a web-based program for indexing is that I will have access to the program from any computer connected to the Internet. It will be interesting to see how developments progress as we get further into the web-based program.