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Archiver > GENEALOGY-DNA > 2011-03 > 1299873725


From: Aaron Salles Torres <>
Subject: Re: [DNA] Interesting mtDNA example
Date: Fri, 11 Mar 2011 12:02:05 -0800 (PST)
In-Reply-To: <2045F454-8951-4F24-9CB7-C6B8096D1C25@comcast.net>


All,

I believe situations like the ones that have been brought up here are a good reason to improve the display of matches on FT DNA - both for mtDNA and Y DNA results. For example, FT DNA already displays Family Finder matches that are at least 1cM - whereas 23andMe only displays matches above 5cM (once a larger 7cM segment is found in common with the same individual). This flexibility in FF appeases all, but mostly US and UK customers (who represent the majority of FT DNA's customers), as it should be relatively difficult to get high level matches no matter one's geographic location - due to the nature of the transmission of autosomal DNA through the generations.

The people most affected by FT DNA's strict match-displaying standards in Y DNA and mtDNA, however, are international customers who are going to have more difficulty fitting in clusters already tested by the company. These customers may have problems navigating through a website that is set up in English and may not be aware of the projects they could join. Additionally, few people join ALL the projects that could be relevant to them, bringing up ALL their potential matches that are 1 step-off.

Displaying matches that are 1 step-off in the 12 marker or HVR1, HVR2 panels to individuals who either have no other matches or chose to see these matches would be greatly useful to both international customers and customers who do not belong to "popular" haplogroups. If the company encounters no software problems displaying lower quality FF matches, it should not have problems displaying 11 Y DNA marker or 1 step-off HVR1, HVR2 matches.

I believe FT DNA is aware of these issues but simply does not have the same regard for international customers - or a good idea of the business they are losing as people see no matches, feel discouraged, and order no further testing.

Best regards,
Aaron Torres

--- On Fri, 3/11/11, SVass <> wrote:

> From: SVass <>
> Subject: Re: Interesting mtDNA example
> To:
> Cc:
> Date: Friday, March 11, 2011, 1:22 PM
> This is not a simple problem for any software designer to
> solve.  If they provide an infinite number of
> possibilities, they will overwhelm the system and the
> average user.

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