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Top tip - using the Genes Reunited community

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Why use family tree software?

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Genes

Genes Report 4 Feb 2005 14:09

I’ve only been doing my family tree for 3 months since I discovered Genes Reunited, so I’m still learning. I’ve noticed that people talk about family tree software on the boards. I’m confused – why do people use software packages as well as the building their family tree on this site? What is the difference and should I download software?

Unknown

Unknown Report 4 Feb 2005 14:12

FT s/w typically far more sophisticated - better at printing, producing reports, sending PDF versions to kith and kin etc. And basically you dont need to go online every time you want to tweak it. If the package is GED compatible, you can upload the tree you build onto GR and vice versa.

Margaret

Margaret Report 4 Feb 2005 14:20

Plus If you only have your tree on here and not on your computer as well, what happens if this site ever goes belly up(so to speak). You would have lost all your hard work. At least genealogy software allows you to marry cousins etc without duplicating everything, and it realises that a baptism date isnt the same as a birth date. Margaret

Sidami

Sidami Report 4 Feb 2005 14:45

Elizabeth. If you go to the web site www(.)familysearch(org/ remove brackets click order download products click software download free click top one 77065999 follow the instructions and make sure you tick English you can have a free programme for all your family history you can print pages from this you can't do that from this site, it is also easy for you to send information with this. But still keep putting your names on here though. Sue.......

Researching:
Ringrose from Countesthorpe Lord and Burley from Countesthorpe...Dixon Dawson Wood and Wilkinson from Caistor ,Starkey and Wood from Edendam. Hare from Horncastle.

Unknown

Unknown Report 4 Feb 2005 15:42

Margaret - good point about backup (belly-up lol) What one could do is download the gedcom from this site to one's PC everytime a change was made - overwriting the older fileon the PC each time.... That way if GR does wave its legs in the air, you're safe.

Guinevere

Guinevere Report 4 Feb 2005 15:49

Hi, Like many others I only keep the basics on the site. My family tree maker prog lets me store copies of wills, photographs, census information, newspaper articles, apprenticeship papers etc. Gwynne

Researching:
Lowestoft and North Suffolk, Monmouthshire, Breconshire, Somerset

Heather

Heather Report 4 Feb 2005 16:54

The PAF free download is basic compared with the others like Family Tree 2005 but it is FREE. On a software program you can add photos of your family and ancestors, can put a homepage on the internet, can put notes that you want to keep for later, lots of things - your GR is just a note pad compared with a complete set of books!

Genes

Genes Report 7 Feb 2005 10:17

Hi everyone, Thanks for all the responses - all really helpful and making things a lot clearer!