Software to Help You with Your Genealogy Research
There is software for both Windows and Mac users. Much of what is now done with software used to be done on handwritten or typed forms, but t
Paper Forms Recording & Reporting Utilities Data CD's
Windows (if you have a Mac, go directly to my Macintosh recommendation) My personal comments regarding the 5 Windows programs I have used and some links to general information, including comparisons and reviews. Watch to see what version is being discussed.
PAF TMG Generations FTM Legacy General Information and Comparisons If you have a Windows machine and are just starting to enter data, I suggest you download the LDS software program, Personal Ancestral File version 4 (for windows). It is free and if you work with that for awhile you will know what features are important to you once you decide to get a bells n' whistles program. (Note: if you don't like to download, you can buy a disk version for $5.00). A word about PAF -- it is an excellent program and many people find they have no reason to change. If you do decide you want more features, you can import any data you have entered into PAF into the new program using gedcom, so you will not have to re-do all that data entry (although you may have to clean up a few spots). The free PAF does not have a good reporting program; for that you will want to buy their "PAF Companion", which costs all of $10.00. Now... as long as we are talking about money... you will also want to buy a manual for PAF (often you can find this at Borders or Barnes & Nobles) and that will cost you $20. OK... $30 is not exactly free, but it is still an inexpensive way to learn before you buy.
TMG: The Master Genealogist-- many features, high learning curve. I found it to be agonizingly slow, but a lot of people swear by it. A friend who knows more than I do about these things says it is slow because it is a 16 bit program, so perhaps when it comes out in a 32bit version, it will be more acceptable. I understand that will happen in version 5. I found data entry to be somewhat clumsy and strained, although there certainly was a place for everything. I suppose you would get used to it however, so that should not be a long term problem. An excellent feature is that it exports reports into a word processing file and can index them according to the page in that text file.
Lee Hoffman keeps a page of tips and links about TMG. GenForum has a TMG discussion forum ; it would be worth glancing through the messages there to see what kinds of issues users face. There is also a TMG List archives. (type in TMG-L). TMG has a very active list, with many enthusiastic participants and lots of help. If you subscribe though, clear out a lot of room for the messages... they come fast and furious.
Generations is the Windows version of Reunion--Sierra bought it from LeisterPro, who developed it. Since I used Reunion for the Mac, I immediately went out and got generations, thinking that is what I would use. But the Windows version was not as sophisticated as the Mac version. There is no way to know how well Sierra will keep it up. I had a problem with a large file that kept crashing, so I tried Sierra's report. In a lengthy series of back and forth the responses ranged from indifferent to terrible to good. I stopped using it and can not recommend it because I do not think Sierra is going to give it adequate upgrades or support.
It does have a nice interface, though.Family Tree Maker, is one of the most used programs and has been around for a long time. I've never really used it, but I have a copy and did try it out on one database. It is easy to use and I do like some of the reports I've seen generated by FTM. I suspect a lot of people buy it for the CD's that come with it and those really should not be the determining factor. Those CD's sound great, but they are of extremely limited use.
The Family Tree Maker Forums include several forums for FTM for users. In addition to messages from other users --and the ability to post a question yourself--the forums contain offical advice from FTM.
User Rod Davis maintains two helpful sites. One is a site of FAQ's and tips (click on the green arrows to get the answers). He also maintains a site that discusses some of what he calls FTM's warts. Rod's page was done in 1999 and may not reflect the most current version of FTM.
Now I am using Legacy Version3, which is now available for free, although you can then buy a delux version. Details are on the website. Version 4 should be out soon. It too has a very supportive environment, with an active, albeit easily distracted, listserve. Of course, if you subsribe to any list, keep your virus protection software current and active. The Legacy site has a good online tutorial for adding and scanning pictures to your Legacy file. " Uncle Hiram" at GenealogyToday gives a nice overview of Legacy.
The bottom line is that I have not settled on a Windows software program that I like. I'll probably either stay with Legacy or go back to TMG when it comes out with version5.
General Information on Software, including information on other Programs & Comparisons and Review of Programs For a website that compares and discusses the different programs, visit the Genealogy Software Springboard and for one that rates the with a scorecard, see Genealogical Report Card.
About.Com has a page with links to information about the various family tree programs individually; also a page with links to Genealogy Ratings and Reviews
The Genealogy Resources on the Internet site has a page with links to information about software for genealogists.
You can get a lot of information from the Genealogy Software Toolbox, a page on The Genealogy Toolbox site.
LookSmart provides a list of online genealogy publications, which often contain reviews of software.
The ConsumerSearch site provides a page that covers genealogy software reviews and recommendations.
Richard S. Wilson, who writes on computers and genealogy, has a page Comparing Genealogy Programs on his general site. He keeps this page updated.
The GenealogyToday site has a page called Software Central that covers genealogy software. And the GenHomePage.Com also has a "Software" page.
Books:
Martha Arends. Genealogy Software Guide. 1998-- already outdated.
For the Macintosh user: as far as I am concerned, you can skip all this and follow my advice below !
If you have a Macintosh and are just starting to enter data, you can not download a free version of Personal Ancestral File, but you can buy a version on disk for $15.00. In the case of a Mac, however, I do not suggest you start with PAF, but recommend that you immediately start out with Reunion (for the Macintosh). I loved it. I loved my Mac. It was an agonizing decision to switch to Windows, but it was too much trouble trying to maintain two systems and I was having some problems with Apple Computer, so I gave up and went with Windows. The people at Reunion (Leisterpro) sold their windows version to Sierra so they could concentrate on developing the Macintosh program. LeisterPro staff are exceptionally responsive and genuinely care about their product. You can buy Reunion from a lot of companies that sell Mac software and sometimes it is on sale. If the prices are the same, I suggest you purchsase it from Roger Moffett because he uses it, loves it and is a great resource for information. (He is also on the list of authorized retailers). I won't even discuss other Mac software -- except to say don't even consider Family Treemaker for the Mac; it is NOT the same as their windows version.
