Affy to Illumina conversions complete?

[Geneadict]

I was under impression that the 86% conversion figure I was told 2 weeks ago was for all Affy tested kits and see no reason to beleive it was materially off the mark and now is probably in the 90+% range with additional results posted since then. I would also estimate total database will be around the 10-12,000 number when all conversions are done (vs 80-90,000 23andme).

Current totals
father-in-law - 85 Affy - 85 Illumina (50 from Affy, 35 new)
me - 87 Affy - 36 Ilumina (22 from Affy, 14 new)

Explanation is simple - different SNPs tested, different matches will be found. For those who had allot of matches with large segments in locations no longer tested, unfortunately you will see the kind of loss in total matches that I have experienced while others may net about the same number or more.

[mkdexter]

Matt, I have always appreciated your reliable updates and information.

I do think that FTDNA needs to send a message regarding the end of the conversion process and subsequent Affy removal to ALL their FF customers who were originally tested using Affymetrix, and notify them that the conversions are complete (when this happens this week), and that all Affy results will be removed by a certain date. Then give folks a week or so to copy their info if they have not done so already. I say this because not everyone reads the public forum, and those who don't, even though they were notified months before that this is going to happen, should get a reminder. Otherwise, there may be some very angry and unhappy customers. FTDNA should post it on their FB page also. IMHO anyway.....

Judy

Thanks Judy. I've said the same thing to FTDNA. I'm waiting to see what happens today and tomorrow myself.

[mkdexter]

Ah okay, sorry I misunderstood.

Sorry I got the wrong name the other day. I didn't mean "Jamy" when I referred to the gossip comment. I was confusing two people with a similar handle.

[Jdoerr]

Does 23 and me really have that many more people in their database?

[mkdexter]

Alex Khomenko, a 23andMe software engineer who just left 23andMe, announced last Nov 2010 that they had 60,000 customers. I think newer numbers have been estimates from customers. I don't believe there's a way to see how many of the 60,000 are just there for the medical test but its a significant number of them.

I estimate FTDNA is at 9500 FF tests. I have not asked them because I don't really care anymore. Paul usually does his homework though.

The database growth is more important once you're in the system. It used to be 1000 a month give or take for both companies but its higher now and it fluctuates depending on sale periods etc.

[mkdexter]

Jennifer in the office just mentioned they plan on removing Affy results next Tuesday and they have not decided whether to send a notification out or not.

MD.

[gtc]

Jennifer in the office just mentioned they plan on removing Affy results next Tuesday and they have not decided whether to send a notification out or not.

My advice to FTDNA -- whose level of customer communications I find pretty poor -- would be to advise, unless of course they want unnecessary phone calls and emails asking where those results have gone.

[AngeliaR]

FF Affy Status

I posed the question to the FTDNA facebook page in case they monitor that arena more than the forums. I asked if people would be informed of the date "Affy" results would "disappear" and if they would be maintained for a period of time so people can make the transition in their records.

Communication is critical to customer perception of the service provided.

[nolnacsj]

I posed the question to the FTDNA facebook page in case they monitor that arena more than the forums. I asked if people would be informed of the date "Affy" results would "disappear" and if they would be maintained for a period of time so people can make the transition in their records.

Communication is critical to customer perception of the service provided.

I just checked my Affy results and on the page at the top is a statement from FTDNA that the conversions to Illumina are now complete and that all Affymetrix results will disappear next Tuesday May 2. So, it is good that FTDNA posted that there, but customers will not see it unless they go into their Affy results page and actually think to read the text at the top (most of us go right to the match list). They may miss the fact that some new text has been added. I recommend FTDNA put the same message on the Illumina page, and their main page, and FB, AND USE RED or BOLDED LETTERS.

I am glad they are leaving the Affy results in place until next Tuesday.

No new Illumina results for me tonight so far...not sure if the last Affy conversions were already uploaded. Guess I will have to look again in the morning.

Judy

[dwight]

Just compared my freshly-downloaded-for-posterity Affy file with my Illumina file.

Affy matches: 75
Illumina matches: 85
Total unique matches: 119
Those 119 unique matches are made up of 44 new (Illumina only), 41 carryovers (Affy & Illumina) matches and, as of right now, 34 Affy only matches.

Looking at those 34 Affy-only matches, I see that they are all of the "5th Cousin - Distant Cousin" type with no "suggested relationship".

Of these stranded/abandoned/lost Affy matches, the Shared cMs run from a minimum of 16.7 up to a maximum of 46.3. The longest segments run from a min. of 7.8 up to a max. of 14.6 cM.

[dwight]

Good eye, Judy. That notice is buried in amongst standard boiler plate, "The Family Finder test matches you confidently with any cousin within five generations..." and "You may assign a known relationship to a person by clicking on the Assign button..." It would easily be lost. I strongly doubt I would have noticed that it's there.

It's not headed up with anything that would tell you there's a new, important notification contained within the section "Family Finder Matches".

If that's the only notice they give, it's totally lame. Seriously. How much does it cost them to send an email out to everyone - didn't they do that when they invited people to request priority for the conversions?

I just checked my Affy results and on the page at the top is a statement from FTDNA that the conversions to Illumina are now complete and that all Affymetrix results will disappear next Tuesday May 2. So, it is good that FTDNA posted that there, but customers will not see it unless they go into their Affy results page and actually think to read the text at the top (most of us go right to the match list). They may miss the fact that some new text has been added. I recommend FTDNA put the same message on the Illumina page, and their main page, and FB, AND USE RED or BOLDED LETTERS.

I am glad they are leaving the Affy results in place until next Tuesday.

No new Illumina results for me tonight so far...not sure if the last Affy conversions were already uploaded. Guess I will have to look again in the morning.

Judy

[gtc]

If that's the only notice they give, it's totally lame. Seriously. How much does it cost them to send an email out to everyone - didn't they do that when they invited people to request priority for the conversions?

I agree.

I get the impression that customer communications within FTDNA is managed by the lowest person on the totem pole.

[eastara]

I agree.

I get the impression that customer communications within FTDNA is managed by the lowest person on the totem pole.

Actually they are looking for a communication person. See Careers as FT:

Information Specialist
Job Description:

1. Primary duties will include: answering e-mails, phone calls, explaining DNA tests for genealogy and ancestry.
2. Qualifications: We will provide on-the-job training. Applicants will only be considered if they have a BA or BS. Preference will be given to Biology, Anthropology, History, English, Communication, and related majors. Applicants should be detail-oriented, have exceptional communication skills, and the capacity for multi-tasking and problem-solving. Recent graduates are encouraged to apply!

Otherwise the Illumina conversion is very disappointing for my daughter. She's got only a single new relative, the previous 9 Affy cousins all disappeared. Plus they can't decide on her Population finder results - just checked the percentages have changed again.

[JPHutchins]

I have received no new Illumina for two weeks. I still have 65 Affy matches and 57 Illumina matches. Of the 57 Illumina matches, 25 are Affy conversions.

I am very interested to see what the last of the Illumina conversions bring. Then it will be up to new testers to add to my matches. Still only one 3rd cousin and four 4th cousins. Everything else is 5th to distant.

[djparlette]

I have 48 affymetrix matches.
I have 45 illumina matches.
20 of my illumina matches were also affymetrix matches, so 28 of my affymetrix matches didn't make it to illumina. All of my top matches made it to the new platform.