WAHOO!! I finally found out that out of the 19,000 applicants to be part of "new FamilySearch" Beta Two I am part of the 3,000 lucky people chosen to participate. I have been happily exploring the changes to "new FamilySearch" today.

The changes I have noticed so far:

1. Softer eye appealing colors
2. I don't see as many records that need to be combined as before. In beta 1 I had to combine/merge my four generations lines together is some sections. They were automatically there when I first signed on beta 2.
3. There is an option to view a family group sheet and print it. It will include the sources used. On the family group sheet you can click on the links and view more information on the individuals.
4. I noticed that I can see information on my living siblings and my husband's living siblings and parents. I don't know why I can see it, it wasn't available to view previously. I had to add it before. One possibility is that the program is actually linking me the user to my previous contributor information. I can see all the living information that I am able to view does show me as the contributor. I guess I'm just surprised to see it there because I understand that everything we added during beta 1 was tossed out. I had contributed this stuff previously to Ancestral File but beta 1 didn't recognize me as the same contributor.
5. There is a cool new option "Individual Map". It will show you a Google Map with markers of important event locations in the person's life. You can click on the marker and it will list all the events that happened there. I think this is major coolness and very helpful to my research.
6. There are a few names changes to options. The "Get to Know Me" button is now "Individual Time Line" and the "Just the Facts" button is now "Individual Details". I think the new wording is much clear.
7. You can no longer see "living" individuals ordinance information, not even your own.

The only problems I have had so far is when I was registering. It had my previous mailing address listed, not the one that should be on my membership record. I wasn't able to change it. I will have to ask my membership clerk if my records have the correct address. I moved in May 2006 and I requested my records changed and transferred. I know they read my records in the new ward. I just don't understand why the incorrect address is showing up. There is also a place for your phone number to show, but no where to enter it. I'm kind of wondering if it has something to do with the old address being the one I used when I submitted my records to Ancestral File?

I also noticed that myself and all my siblings are marked under "Personal Facts" as "Died before age eight: True". This is very incorrect. I think it has to do with my submission to Ancestral File. In the DOS version of Ancestral File you can see living individuals names and AFNs if you submitted members with their baptismal date. I did this with myself and all my siblings. I also did this with my children that were old enough and my husband but they don't have this note on their records. It's a mystery. At least this "Peronsal Fact" doesn't seem to be affecting my living status on my time line. So I guess I am still alive to the Church. I'll let you know if I get a notice back that I'm really dead by them. (hehe)

Well that's enough playing around for today.
See ya tomorrow, for tomorrow is always another genealogy day!