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"Our top 10 list below summarizes what we consider to be the best Genealogy Software around, while our buying guide gives you useful advice on what to look for, and what to avoid, when making your choice".
That list must be judging the software on how easy it is to use, not on how well it allows you to record your genealogy the best.
Family Tree Maker, because of it's easy availability and aggressive marketing is no doubt the best selling program on the market. But, unfortunately, it's so very far from being the best software, it makes the opinions of the reviewer in question.
That list must be judging the software on how easy it is to use, not on how well it allows you to record your genealogy the best.
Family Tree Maker, because of it's easy availability and aggressive marketing is no doubt the best selling program on the market. But, unfortunately, it's so very far from being the best software, it makes the opinions of the reviewer in question.
What do you prefer?
I ended up with RootsMagic, because I tried it and it seemed so easy for a novice and was inexpensive, I bought it.
Much like Windows [stuff you hate to love] Family Tree Maker. I note it's limitations but I use it anyway because of ease of sharing, and I can usually make it do what I want. Yes I know there are other ways to share, but not everyone is that into it, technically or otherwise, and FTM is what[in my experience :+) ] a large proportion of people wound up using years ago & are reluctant to change. I don't think it will go away, so it is "safe".
Much like Windows [stuff you hate to love] Family Tree Maker. I note it's limitations but I use it anyway because of ease of sharing, and I can usually make it do what I want. Yes I know there are other ways to share, but not everyone is that into it, technically or otherwise, and FTM is what[in my experience :+) ] a large proportion of people wound up using years ago & are reluctant to change. I don't think it will go away, so it is "safe".
I kind of resent it, but I use it.
Sums up how a lot of people feel about so-so software!
Quote:
Originally Posted by EnricoV
That list must be judging the software on how easy it is to use, not on how well it allows you to record your genealogy the best.
Family Tree Maker, because of it's easy availability and aggressive marketing is no doubt the best selling program on the market. But, unfortunately, it's so very far from being the best software, it makes the opinions of the reviewer in question.
Oh, yeah, best marketed. WordPerfect was much better than MS Word. Don't even know if they're in business anymore.
I ended up with RootsMagic, because I tried it and it seemed so easy for a novice and was inexpensive, I bought it.
The Master Genealogist is far and above the best program available. The one caveat I have come to accept is, if you're not that comfortable with computers, you may have difficulty using it. Just like any program, the more powerful it is, the higher the learning curve, and I've encountered several people in my years of teaching who just cannot grasp it.
It's greatest asset is that it's so free-formed. You can do anything, and record anything with it. A lot of people settle more for a program that says put this here and put that there - and now print it out with fancy borders, etc. Which works, but the problem is, it limits the kind of genealogy they do. They're satisfied with (and focused on) finding the birth, the marriage, and the death dates and places - because those are the fields it asks for. When really, those are stupid things to need to know about your ancestors. Is it more important to know he was born on the 17th of March, rather than knowing what kind of person he was, or how he lived his life? One of the best records I ever encountered was a tax list that the enumerator had written next to an ancestor's entry "This is the damndest rascal I ever met." I love knowing that - but how do you record that in Family Tree Maker. Where you do it is in one large "memo" section where every memo about that person, whether it's something that happened when he was 15, 25, or 100. With TMG, you can enter each item, in the appropriate time-frame, so you get a real timeline of their life.
Sorry for waxing poetic on my favorite program. I would never use another one.
And, bjh, WordPerfect is still in business -- and you're right. It's far superior to Microsoft Word.
The Master Genealogist is far and above the best program available. The one caveat I have come to accept is, if you're not that comfortable with computers, you may have difficulty using it. Just like any program, the more powerful it is, the higher the learning curve, and I've encountered several people in my years of teaching who just cannot grasp it.
It's greatest asset is that it's so free-formed. You can do anything, and record anything with it. A lot of people settle more for a program that says put this here and put that there - and now print it out with fancy borders, etc. Which works, but the problem is, it limits the kind of genealogy they do. They're satisfied with (and focused on) finding the birth, the marriage, and the death dates and places - because those are the fields it asks for. When really, those are stupid things to need to know about your ancestors. Is it more important to know he was born on the 17th of March, rather than knowing what kind of person he was, or how he lived his life? One of the best records I ever encountered was a tax list that the enumerator had written next to an ancestor's entry "This is the damndest rascal I ever met." I love knowing that - but how do you record that in Family Tree Maker. Where you do it is in one large "memo" section where every memo about that person, whether it's something that happened when he was 15, 25, or 100. With TMG, you can enter each item, in the appropriate time-frame, so you get a real timeline of their life.
Sorry for waxing poetic on my favorite program. I would never use another one.
And, bjh, WordPerfect is still in business -- and you're right. It's far superior to Microsoft Word.
I know what you mean about the context, but so often all that I have been able to find is the demographic stuff for so many folks. The internet has put me in contact with several people who have provided pictures, and those are precious to me.
Even knowing the fallibility of family stories, there are some that I do believe, such as the one that one of my ancestors made it back alive from being in a Civil War prison camp, burned the clothes he was wearing, and shaved every hair off his body. I have a picture of him later, complete with full beard.
The Bible notation for the birth of my Dad's mother notes that it was raining. She died before she was 40 years old of accidental electrocution from improperly grounded house wiring.
There is the great aunt who put on her best dress, "let her hair down", lay down on her bed, and shot and killed herself. I have a picture of her with her hair "up."
There are the autograph albums from the Civil War era. One includes calling cards from the suitors for the hand of the album owner, including one from the gentleman who won it. I am descended from her brother, and I have no picture of him, but I do have his handwriting in that album --- and in scads of court documents, since he was the county ordinary for many years. He was injured in the Civil War, took a long time to recover, and died from "cirrhosis."
The ones with pictures have faces and personalities, even though I never knew them
Yeah, capturing that in a genealogy program is hard to do!
Last edited by suzy_q2010; 01-02-2011 at 08:19 PM..
Reason: clarity
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