Improved search algorithm possible?

Improved search has been THE #1 request on Geni for a LONG time.

I am not surprised. Is there any ongoing work in this area?

I think there was some mention of this.

I was hoping API would allow for less restrictive search parameters

Some work-arounds:
If you are a My Heritage user as well you can use their search screen to search Geni
https://www.myheritage.nl/research/collection-40000/geni-world-fami...
If you are looking for public profiles you can use Google and add :site:geni.com/people to your query.

thanks! like the google option...should have been obvious but didn't think of it! thank you

Thanks! That's good hints!

It would be nice if Geni could search somewhat better.
At the moment it is sometimes easier to find a profile with MH or Google

Geni has a lot of data so it should be able to do better not only by using something like meta characters like ? and * and or soundex, but also knowing about what users put into the Also Know As field for certain names (that may be valid for other profiles with the same name values, but without those alternatives in the AKA field)

I also hope Geni will some day add coordinates to the location fields. that would make searching and matching (or not matching) for places much easier.

Geni may even have enough information on many places to do something like:
Coordinates, current name, and also a list of past names with a date range (and coordinates when different from those for the current name).
Probably for some places even in multiple languages.
Something like that could help with information in sources that does not use the current location name.

coordinates are already in the location api. (longitude/latitude)
https://www.geni.com/platform/developer/help/api?path=location
in searchs, yes, it would be very nice if a location in a search will some day have location_longitude, location_latitude and location_range elements which should cover a location_range radius circular area which center point is in location_longitude,location_latitude on the earth (ball) surface.

True. On the other hand too many profiles has birth and death locations with too short names (like 'Lycksele, Sweden') for them to get any valid GPS coordinates assigned.

Juha Mustonen have done some work with that location/name problem in Finnish and Karelia project.. if you need a help with that, ask him.

I emailed Juha Mustonen (Geni Curator) yesterday. Hope he replies