I will keep doing everything the hard way.
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| Celtic Radio Community > Family History & Clans > Family Tree Programs |
| Posted by: Sea Dog 23-Jan-2004, 01:03 AM |
| We now have a 40 gig hard drive. In other words ROOM. At this point seem to be settling our sights on Legacy ver 5.0 and Family Tree Maker 10.0. Any comments on either, ease of use with Gedcom, trading files with relatives etc. It appears to me that trading and merging are much easier with Legacy than FTM. If you don't upload to the FTM/Genealogy.com databases for their commercial use you can't really trade files. |
| Posted by: CelticRose 23-Jan-2004, 02:34 AM |
| Seadog! I have Legacy Family Tree 4.0. Do you think I should upgrade? |
| Posted by: Sea Dog 23-Jan-2004, 02:38 PM |
| How do you like it? As far as upgrading, I don't think that there are big improvements, but if it's free why not? I've been looking at the Legacy site and some other reviews and I'm leaning toward Legacy. The FTM looks like it is a money pit. |
| Posted by: Shadows 23-Jan-2004, 03:05 PM |
| I use Ultimate Family Tree and find it more then I really need, but I am using more and more of it daily! Just one word of advice no matter what you use:: BACK UP everything!!! I had a virus hit my machine 2 years ago and delete all my .LIB files ( no more dates or other important info ). It had taken me 3 years to compile, luckily I had a paper copy that I had printed just a week prior, but it takes time to renenter all the data. SO back up everything as soon as you enter it. |
| Posted by: RavenWing 23-Jan-2004, 03:08 PM |
| Are any of these programs free? |
| Posted by: Shadows 23-Jan-2004, 03:23 PM |
| UFT is not free or shareware... I forget what I paid but it was under $40. |
| Posted by: RavenWing 23-Jan-2004, 03:25 PM |
| still too much I will keep doing everything the hard way. |
| Posted by: Sea Dog 26-Jan-2004, 05:06 PM |
| Legacy has a free downloadable version. Doesn't have all the bells and whistles. Haven't researched it all the way, it , but looks like it can export GEDCOM files. I thought I read somewhere of some size limitations but can't find it again. Family Treemaker apparently can't export GEDCAM files except up to their site. That doesn't seem right, if you can generate a file you should be able to export it to others. I get the impression that although it has more bells and whistles for fancy presentations included, that it is more locked into it's websites. (Although legacy can't do all the fancy graphics, it appears they have add-ons available that will if you need them) I think I'm going to download Legacy in the next day or two and have my resident librarian take a good look at it. She's done most of the genealogy so far. |
| Posted by: A Shrule Egan 26-Jan-2004, 07:31 PM | ||
Sea Dog, I use Family Tree and had no problem transfering my GEDCAM file to GenCircle. GenCircle has nothing to do with the Family Tree web page. Maybe some of the different genealogy pages aren't set up to accept GEDCAM files. On those pages, I'll just do a copy and paste. Doesn't matter to me, as long as I can get my information out there. I have never run across the situation where I need to load someone elses GEDCAM, just because my files are always so much larger than theirs. I usually have most of the info that they already have. I have never used the Legacy program, so I can't compare them but from what I have read about Legacy, seems rather similiar. For the average Joe (or Jane), as long as it meets the GEDCAM standards, really shouldn't matter which one you use. I haven't heard of anyone on here claiming to be a professional Genealogist, which would make sense for them to have the most up to date program available. Your biggest concern, no matter which program you use, is keeping your records in order. As long as it does that, you've won most of the battle. |
| Posted by: rock_serenade 02-Mar-2004, 12:19 AM |
| I use family tree version 8, have a 24 cd reference pack that came with it that i haven't even peaked at.. its a wonderful program if you are used to doing research and data entry by hand, but it can be tricky navigating the interface.. not sure i would get it again if i had a choice, definitely goign to upgrade |
| Posted by: Sea Dog 05-Mar-2004, 01:05 AM |
| My wife has begun data entry on Legacy Family Tree. Seems to be going fairly well. Had one little confusion point, but got it straightened out. since she hasn't come over in panic yet I think it must be easy to use. Mostly data entry at this point , hasn't tried anything else yet. I downloaded it with no problems. This is the free download version. Have spent more time scanning photos and sending CD's to relatives for identification confirmation and first photos. Started finding a few unknown second cousins or so. Ran into one real (insert seagoing perjorative) when we sent e-mail thanking him for effort in posting WWII information that concerned relative among others. If I ever meet him I'm going to take a round turn about him and two-block him at the mizzen top yard. |
| Posted by: dfilpus 20-Mar-2004, 09:12 AM |
| One of the best genealogy programs for its report generating format is Reunion 8 for the Macintosh. It will interface with LDS and GEDCOM nicely. It allows for all sorts of multimedia input. It is commercial software about $100, but worth it for serious genealogy. I have moved all of my family info to Reunion and could not be happier. There was a Windows version in the distant past, but it was spun off and went a different way. |
| Posted by: CelticRose 20-Mar-2004, 08:04 PM |
| Oh boo hoo. Don't have MacIntosh. My friend who does swears by it! |
| Posted by: ChocolateFilk 08-Apr-2004, 09:55 PM |
| My first Family Tree program was Your Family Tree for the Amiga!! Then when I went PC, I tried several of them. One shareware version is http://www.gensol.com.au/default.htm. It can display 4 generations on the screen at one time, and can import Gedcom files. I tried and purchased Family Origins, but is no longer being supported. The team is now producing http://www.rootsmagic.com/. This is my current program and it seems quite nice so far. Chocolate filk |
| Posted by: urian 24-Jun-2004, 11:34 PM |
| I like the LDS softeware myself. I've tried a few other and wasn't impressed. |
| Posted by: cwa92464 23-Oct-2004, 07:30 AM |
| In my humble opinion... My dad has the FEE Family Treemaker and I much prefer my FREE Ancestry Family Tree. There are things that Family Treemaker just added that I have been able to do for some time. Of course, I started using Ancestry Family Tree first and I like it. He started using Family Treemaker and he likes it. I just think Ancestry Family Tree a little more newbie friendly...Well, that and the fact that I'm a tightwad!!  |
| Posted by: roll1959 01-Dec-2004, 01:00 PM |
| I found after checking other programs, I go back to Legacy 5.0. I found it when I purchased the "Genealogy on line for Dummies," book and they had different programs. Some with time limits, some with .gen limits of 50, but the Legacy program was free and with a small exception had the bells and whistles like the others. It allows you to back up your information AND your photo's. |
| Posted by: cwa92464 06-Jan-2005, 04:59 AM |
| I am a big supporter of free. Here are my sites: Software: http://aft.ancestry.com GEDs: http://www.geneanet.org http://www.gencircles.com There are many others and you do get more info and gadgets at pay sites, but I don't do a bunch of it. Also, look for sites that have the mail groups that will send info when people find stuff or are looking. People are generous when you have a little for them, too. Good luck! Chris |
| Posted by: CelticRose 06-Jan-2005, 04:16 PM |
| I recently cancelled my subscription to geneaology.com. I know some people swear by it, but everytime I was about to get somewhere, I would have to end up paying more money for more information that really wasn't giving me anything that I didn't already know from the free sites I had researched! |
| Posted by: Sekhmet 21-Jan-2005, 05:11 PM |
| I myself have used FTM since it first came out. Currently I'm on version...um...::looks at her discs:: 9.0. I typically don't upgrade to the "latest greatest" version until this one is completely incompatible with what I'm trying to do. I've never had trouble exporting GEDCOM files or even .rtf files for those who don't have the software to open them otherwise. You *can* export without donating to the World Family Tree. I did that once about nine years ago without knowing any better. DON'T DO IT. I was so upset when I figured out what that was for. A cousin of mine is trying to get me hooked on Legacy...maybe it's because I'm a creature of habit, but I'm just not as impressed with it. I have it on here so that her CDs work, but that's about the extent of it. |
| Posted by: Siobhan Blues 22-Feb-2005, 12:43 PM |
My father got Family Tree Maker 2005 and spent weeks entering all of the family history he had been researching for both his side of the family (Daniell, Gore) and my mom's side too (Adkins, Carrithers). He encouraged me to buy the program and I did, but when I tried to understand how it all worked I felt it was beyond me!  Honestly I've taken on a few too many responsibilities this last year and realized I simply can't deal with another one.So, I asked my husband to learn how to work with the FTM program and since he's been gathering info on his family too (Gardner, Reid) he agreed... and is having a ball at it! He and dad can talk forever about who they've found and what connection they've made. The really sweet thing is, having acquired photos from several sides of the family now a lot of the entries have actual photos of our ancestors. What a precious thing to see someone who you never knew. Siobhan Blues |
| Posted by: CelticRose 22-Feb-2005, 03:05 PM |
Wow! SB! That is really great news. But just one more thing to keep Reid on the computer though, eh?  I admit the programs are too overwhelming for me too. I am just too lazy to do all that. |
| Posted by: Siobhan Blues 24-Feb-2005, 12:23 PM |
Oh yeah! Between the FamilyTree thing and this new game Reid has been playing, I have to do my computering while he's at work! SB |