General Chat

Dear All

Hello

Hope your bank holiday is going well.

My research has been done in paper format, with scribbled notes.

I was thinking of using one of the PC packages available to get things organised.

Some of them talk about databases and pedigree charts.

I would like to keep things simple as possible.


Do you have any suggestions as to which package to use and have you had any problems using them?

Thank you very much.

Take gentle care
With best wishes
Love Elizabeth, EOS
xx

Family Historian. https://www.family-historian.co.uk/
It can be used in its simplest form, or at far greater depths. You can trial it free for 30 days before deciding if its right for you. As long as you record the 'key' somewhere, you can reload onto a new device.
There's also a user led support group called FHUG where you can ask questions if you have a problem with the programme.

Pros & Cons (both lines)

https://www.toptenreviews.com/software/
home/best-genealogy-software/family-historian-review/

Hello Elizabeth
Im actually a pencil and paper person. I jot down the names of say 5 people im looking for then research on here and Free BMD. I then fill in the gaps on my paper family trees etc.
I use A3 thick paper. Sounds old fashioned I guess, but I'm always rubbing out and changing things.
When I've completed a tree, well as far as I can. I take the A3 sheets to the library and get them photocopied so I have a copy and send the original to my friend or whoever.
My printer doesn't print A3 paper out.

I have never used any packages because I've never needed to, but there are many on offer I'm sure.

Florence
in the hebrides :-)

I use Family Historian. I like that I can add siblings and see them all in one view rather than just the direct line which some packages offer.


I must say, I'm surprised by the 'view count' v. posts on this thread. I assumed that people joined GR to build family trees :-S

Hi there lovely Elizabeth....

I am a bit of everything really, I scribble things down in pencil then enter everything
onto laptop once it is checked, double checked. I do print out any documents
I find usually twice so can scribble on one and then put other in file....Works
for me, and hopefully easy to follow if one of nephews asks me for information.

I am like Florence I do not use packages....

I have two Family related Trees on Ancestry one is Public (anyone can view it) and one is Private (only invited guests can view it) both are sync'd to Family Tree Maker. The Public Tree is of the Families in the Village where my paternal ancestors came from; I did this Tree because the same surnames kept cropping up and I thought it would be interesting to see how they were all connected, some of which I don't think were strictly legal! The Private Tree is for my and OH's families.

I have a few other Trees on Ancestry which I have done for friends as it is easy for them to view rather than me try and explain.

I'm an untidy genealogist, as I'm sure those who have assisted me will verify.

I've got part of my tree on GR, I've used Belfast Forum's genealogy thread, and

in the past I used My Heritage. My tidiest and version is on Wikitree.

I do admire the patience and discipline demonstrated by so many.

Dear All

Hello

Thank you very much for your replies.


David.......I am a very, very untidy genealogist too!


LondonBelle..........I like the phrase "strictly legal! Sounds like several of mine!


Mersey...........now that's what I do! I have so many print outs in folders and maps.


Island........Family Historian sounds good. I think I could give this a try.


Florence........I have used wall-paper, large sheets of brown paper and plain sheets stuck together to record info in a chart form.


Detective........This is good enough for me. Two recommendations.
This package does look good and able to use. I am not good with technical stuff!

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I have also found this book:

"The Family History Web Directory"

By Jonathan Scott

(From the Pen and Sword series)

Divided into sections, there are huge lists of helpful websites that can help with family research.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thank you ALL for your help.

Take gentle care
Love Elizabeth, EOS
xx

Elizabeth, I should have added another reason I opted for Family Historian is because I wanted an offline prog. Try the free 30 day download.

Dear Island,

Thank you.
xx

From what others have said FTM can be used off line if you choose.

Family Historian, if you allow it, throws up 'hints' from FMP. Obviously you can't access them unless you subscribe, but they might give you a lead to look elsewhere.

Would this help you make an informed choice, EOS?
https://www.toptenreviews.com/software/home/best-genealogy-software/

Dear Detective

Will look into this link.

Thank you very much.
xx

Hello Elizabeth

I also have Family Historian and like it, though I don’t use it to anywhere near its full capacity.

I have learnt something new from this thread. I didn’t know FH could be set to throw up FMP hints. Det., I would appreciate it if you could tell me how I get the program to do this.

Whatever you go for Elizabeth make sure you keep a note of the key number. A couple of years my FH was completely wiped from the computer. I had all the data backed up but needed the program to make sense of it. As I still had the key number I was able to download it again free of charge.

Dear Vera

Hello

I have learned so much on this thread.

Very glad you have found this helpful too.

Love Elizabeth, EOS
xx

Vera -

Find 'internet' at the top left of the screen. From the drop down list, select Internet Data Matches.

There's 2 options listed - FMP & My Heritage. I've My Heritage disabled.
Click on FMP then 'settings'. You should be able to enable it from there. From the looks of it, it will automatically search which ever family you're looking at.

It doesn't throw up all the available records from FMP. For instance, the BNA & current ER/Companies house are omitted.

Play around with the Internet button. It does give you the option to search other sites, also under 'Search Internet.' Then select which sites you think might be appropriate.
Basically its a short cut to the web site which you then have to input manually.

You might need to be a registered user for them eg Ancestry. I've never bothered as normally that's opened on a web page.


Have you downloaded Ancestral Sources from FHUG? Its great for creating census, bap, ma & bur records/sources all in one go.

Many thanks Det. When I have a free half hour (ha ha) I’ll play around with it and see what I can do.

Thank you Elizabeth, I don't know if the best description for my genealogical

endeavours is untidy or slovenly. I've bits of data all over scattered on various sites.

Careless might be another adjective to use to describe me. A huge thank you all. <3

Roots chat has served me very well, together with fbmd, with a tree on here and on Ancestry.

Roots Magic is very popular whether or not you use Ancestry.
Here is a bargain:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ROOTSMAGIC-UK-EDITION-VERSION-3-CDS-WINDOWS-COMPATABLE-AMAZING-FAMILY-HISTORY/173490035966?hash=item2864cfdcfe:g:P0oAAOSwKIdaaIJu

If you attach BMD Census records etc etc from any web site you have signed up to remember that you need to download te images or you will at some point lose access to them. That especially applies to GReunited.

Some of the popular packages do not have an export to GED option. Avoid locking yr tree into such sites.

FreeBMD is very useful but is a very long way from complete and has a lot of transcription errors. It is site policy only to correct (eventually) human transcription errors. Errors in the original record are never updated althlugh it has an option for people to add comments. If you see a comment flag for a BMD record read it.