Genealogy Chat

Was sort of joking in a previous thread about designing my own software, but am now looking at it seriously!
I want to take the best features from various programs, plus add features that we all wish programs have - I have a fairly sizable list already!
If it proves successful, will look at marketing / selling it.
Any suggestions for what the 'ultimate' genealogy software should look like / let you do, all welcome. Although original idea was to design for my own personal use, if I have any hope of being succesful with selling it, it also needs to be wanted by other people.

Karen

A tree that can print everyone.
To be able to quote a specific source for a occupation.
Option to add family stories.
To be able to add scans for Census/BMD.

Thanks Fire,
Will add the ones that I didnt have to the list.
What sort of detail are you hoping for when printing an entire tree? Obviously the bigger the tree, the more paper etc etc
What software are you using at the moment?

Karen

The development and beta testing for such software will take lots of people and many many months if not years, it is doubtful you could really add much more to a programme than what is offered in current ones.

The only difference would be how user friendly certain aspects of the programme could be made to operate.

Compatability of gedcom formats is one thing that needs to be considered and built in. version 4, Version 5.5 etc. Indented records, abbreviated and full tags.........the list goes on.

Then you have to make the whole thing "backwards compatable" to allow gedcom files from the different formats to both be imported and read as well as created ready for export.

The gedcom part of software is complex enough, add in all the other things like different tree charts, reports, abilty to handle different filetypes for images, text documents and suchlike then you really have a heck of a task to undertake.

Making it all work, testing it to destruction and then trying to market it too means only the big software houses really have the time and resources.

Half the features offered within FTM don't get used, reports and books for example, but once people realise how they can be used to showcase their research and organise sources and facts they wonder how they managed without.
The ability to open several files at once is handy but creates problems when people accidently add to the wrong file and then try to consolidate several partial files into one "complete" one.
You can't build a "file management" system into the software and a large proportion of questions on software forums relates to file management/backup queries, not just the everyday "how do i......" type questions.

Just a tree of everyone.
No need for dates.
Currently on a free trail of roots magic.
Brought a version which is due for delivery of amazon tomorrow.

RootsMagic will not create a tree with everybody on it, not without one heck of a lot of cutting and pasting anyway.

Carol
www.genealogyprinters.com

I know.
I will proablly hand wirte it.
Or take my laptop with me and show them

Karen - what language will you be writing it in?