Genealogy Chat

I really must get down to putting all my research on computer.

Has anyone any recommendations for a reliable and easy to understand software package?

I would like to be able to print out my tree or parts thereof and also, perhaps in book form, a list of all ancestors. Also a facility for putting this on CD to send to other relatives.

Thanks
Carole

I would recommend Family Tree Maker 2008.... I have been using version 2006 but this is the latest upgrade with all the features you are looking for.... Look up Family Tree Maker 2008 in google and you will find various on line places to buy.... it's around £30 but well worth it....

Good Luck!

Nikki
x

If you send a cd to other relatives remember they will need a compatible program on their computer to read the tree.

Most of us use familytreemaker 2006 v16 - available for a tenner at the mo including an ancestry 14 day sub on twr computing or my-history

It has everything you have mentioned, you can make a book, reports, trees, add photos, even videos if you are clever and you can back it to cd and to internet storage and - probably handier for your rellies than sending an out of date cd to them - have a homepage on the internet that you can invite people to see - containing all your family tree info in written form searchable by name - and you just click a few times to create it or update it including photos and any reports you may want to add.

Will keep an eye on this

I have bought the 2008 version but am not really using it as I dont find it as good as the 2006 and it doesnt have the same features re having a personal home page to share with rellies - you have to upload to ancestry instead and Im not too happy about that.

The makers and distributors have told us that patches will be issued as they try to sort out the current problems with FTM2008 but Ive not received any yet!

There are a number of threads on here about software if you do a search.

I use FTM2005 and find it does all that I want it to. I have heard negative comments about FTM2008 and decided it's not worth switching.

Ron who owns Genealogy Printers and uses just about every family tree programme around said he wouldn't recommend FTM2008 as there are too many problems with it.

That said, the majority of people on Genes seem to use one version or another of FamilyTreeMaker.

Kath. x

There is a discussion forum re familytreemaker 2008 which you can probably get through googling.

You can also read about FTM programs and buy one at

http://www.familyhistoryquests.co.uk/

Claire who runs that site has herself said she prefers the 2006 at the moment - until they iron out all the probs with 2008.

Of course there are also free programs you can download.

Its all subjective, most packages have good bad and indifferent points as with any software. Remenber the larger the tree the more problematic it bcomes to print. I use Family Historian version 3.1.2 and find it simple to use and has a good selection of standard reports e.g. Individual Summary Report etc. Take a look at the website
www.family-historian.co.uk