The last thread I saw on Genealogy Software was from 2006.
Now that I finally finished my Masters degree, I’m hoping to focus more time on my genealogy research.
I’ve always been a Family Tree Maker user. They just came out with a new version not too long ago.
Any amateur genealogists out there? What’s your software of choice? (and why)
I use Wholly Genes’ The Master Genealogist. Momentum has something to do with it (I’m an old Roots user). It’s intended for serious amateurs/professionals, yet is relatively easy to use. A benefit for me is that it stores data in DBF files, so I can use FoxPro to do mass updates and custom reporting, but that isn’t for everyone.
I have Family Tree Maker 08, which for me is fine. However, I’ve heard a lot of people say that it’s harder to use and they don’t like it as much. I do know that FTM05 had a way to make your own books, something 08 doesn’t have. I believe that in 08 you have to make the books online and publish through ancestry.com though I haven’t looked into it yet.
The one thing I have found about FTM08 is that if you get a file from someone else that has the same people in it I’ve run into problems. While it merged them ok, it kept telling me that my father was his own brother. I have just under 200 people and had about 20 or so that got really screwed up. I’m also using it on Vista and while it works, the update does not.
I have started over using Geni - online tracking with a sharing component.
This is because I want my family to be able to fill in some of the boxes too, and I can use it from any machine. My last burst was using Reunion 6.x for the Mac, and it worked great. However, our household regularly shifts computers, etc.
I’ve been using FTM since it first came out. I’m presently using FTM 16 and have over 3200 persons stored. I’m comfortable with it, and really have no complaints. It’s easy to do searches and create reports.
FTM 08. I also have the FTM for Dummies book, which has helped a lot. I use it since Ancestry.com is to genealogy what Gibralter is to the Mediterannean (just not much ignoring it without going all the way around Africa) and FTM is specifically designed to be compatible, plus the distant kinfolk who I’ve traded files with always trade them in FTM/A.C compatible gedcoms.
A bit of an aside, but I’ve written to Google before suggesting they start a genealogy service. I think they could kick ancestry’s monopolistic ass: they already have millions of digitized books, photo hosting, the best search engine, maps, and generally all the raw resources- just a matter of putting them all together. Plus, since seniors are the group most interested in genealogy and there are going to be tens of millions of retirements coming up, tis a great business opportunity. They haven’t responded though.
Another aside: something I’d really love to see is a site dedicated to free posting/downloading of genealogical images. I’m sure for example that there are photographs and portraits of some of my ancestors out there that I’d LOVE to have a copy of, just as I’ve made available some in my possession that I’ve gotten huge "THANK YOU!"s for from other descendants, but I’d love to see it all in one well known place where you can type in “Lucifer Davidovich Moncrief, Jr.” (or whatever) and see if either he or one of his relatives has a pic.
I have a Mac, so I use Reunion. I’m up to version 9. I play a bit with my family tree, but I found Reunion very easy to use for an extremely inexperienced genealogy person like me. I’ve never traded files with anyone yet (the interested people in my family and my wife’s family like paper), so I can’t say how well that would work.
On the other hand, when I upgraded from an ancient Mac clone desktop machine[sup]*[/sup] to my MacBook, moving my Reunion file was seamless.
Reports and charts are a breeze in Reunion! Much easier in Reunion than the PC-based software I played with 8 years ago. - the last time I looked at anything. I hope the Windows-based genealogy software world has caught up in that department.
[sup]*[/sup] It was a legitimate Mac clone - back from that brief time Apple was licensing clones for the Mac. It had a first generation PowerPC chip in it, practically hand crafted by today’s standards. Nice machine in its day.
I’m a huge genealogy buff and I have been using Ages, which I got for fairly cheap online ($35, with a free trial version). My tree currently has 3,100 people in it (with the earliest birth date being 1459!)
If you’re looking to put your tree online*, I would highly suggest PHPGedView. It is a free, open-source dynamic online PHP-based genealogy database app. Here is what I have done with mine.
*This is helpful if you’re looking to connect with distant relatives… I have been contacted by a bunch of distant cousins from various lines who found my genealogy site just by Googling themselves. It’s awesome!
This is really cool! I like the idea of hosting my own information online. That’s one aspect of FTM that I’m not crazy about… you have to use their servers etc. (as far as I know). Wow so many choices.
To add a comment on how we did the initial setup: My mother had set up a family tree on a Windows-based machine. We did a GEDCOM export from that, and imported it into Reunion, with no loss of data that we could see (no fields lost, etc.).
It’s pretty good with generating webpage files hat you can then upload to your hosting spot of choice.
I’ve been using a genealogy program to track characters in a series of novels I’m working on. Can’t remember the name of the software, but I’m wondering if the limitations are something you guys have run into.
For instance, marriages can only be listed as man-woman. No gay marriage for these people. Also, no polygamy. I haven’t figured out a way to make it show adoptive parents versus biological parents, sperm donors, egg donors, or surrogate mothers. I’d love to be able to show other non-familial relationships as well, like best friends, betrothed at birth, or arch-nemeses.
Any suggestions?
I know the FTM08 doesn’t really care about marriages. It defaults to being man/woman, but I’m pretty sure you can change that to man/man. You can have more then one marriage too and just not call it marriage, I think it has an ‘other’ category.
As for the others I don’t really think there’s a way to show non-familial relationships as the point is to show family relationships. You can have adopted parents but not friends or anything like that. You might be able to create a new category though, I’ve just never used it that way.
I admit I didn’t check the TOS on resurrecting old threads, but since this was started by me, and it was only started four months ago… I’m going to take a chance that it’s OK.
So FTM now has 2009 coming out. Has anyone tried it? They’re claiming that there will be a book building feature soon. Not sure I believe that one just yet.
I watched a few of ancestry.com’s tutorials, I think the interface looks easier to use than my current version (2005). I might have to give it a try.
If any of you have used it, I’d appreciate hearing your opinions on it.
E3
I usually skip a couple of years to upgrade until I see a feature that I think I will actually use.
Can it convert old Roots files???
And I’m talking old, like pre-windows Roots III.
I was sent a free FTM09 since I had 08. It works much better then the 08, hasn’t crashed yet or given me any problems. That said I haven’t done much with it in the last couple of months as too much has been going on in my life. My grandmother did help me fill in some stuff on my mother’s side, but that’s really been about it. But the program seems to run ok, still a bit slow to load though.
Ditto this. We started using Geni almost a year ago, and since then it’s exploded. By using the web as a collaborative interface and enlisting the help of other relatives I’ve learned much more than I ever hoped to learn!
We’ve got many generations actively using Geni now. In addition to the family tree and basic info, it’s also a social network site. Family can post pictures and video, and start discussions. You get your own profile where you can share information about yourself. I’ve managed to connect and re-connect to family I haven’t heard from in years. It’s really amazing, and incredibly easy to use. I highly recommend it.
Edited to add: Also, another bonus is that it’s free. At least for now. Has been since we started using it and I don’t see plans for it to go pay.
A big vote for Legacy Family Tree. Great features, great usability, and the standard version–which was “for pay” some years back–is now completely free.
I don’t see a need to create a new thread when there’s so much useful information in this one.
Any more users of FTM 2009? The reviews sure seem to be polarizing - no in between.
My initial reaction is that I’d like to switch to Legacy or one of the others, but I don’t see where it can convert from FTM format. (I’m not sure off the top of my head what version of FTM I have. It’s several years old though)
D’oh. Didn’t realize this was an old thread and I already responded.