Which Computer Program do you recommend?

[aeracura]

Hi all,

I have to put this question to all of you with a LOT more experience than I have... I have my family tree back a very long way on many branches... For example... on my paternal grandmother's side it is back to pre 10th century AD.. and also various arms of the main line go back a few generations each. On my paternal grandfather's side I can go back pre 1600 in about 12 directions.. as in each wife's family I have taken back up to 10 or 12 generations as well as the main line.... It is getting terribly messy and I would like to know which computer program would be best to document it all considering it doesn't just go in one direction but many. I also have it back as far on both of my mother's parent's lines... so it's HUGE!!!!... lots of it I've compiled from various family contacts but I just have no idea how to put it all in one database... any suggestions?? I am not able to do it manually as I have fibromyalgia and I cannot write for long at all... but i can type quickly :D

~ jo

[HiFly]

I use GenoPro - allows me to also have complex trees.... and I also find it simple to use. Plus i used the Trial version first - to make sure it suited my needs - simple to use, visual input & flexible with GEDCOM file import/export facilities.

Had a try of some of the other ones (e.g FTM etc.) but cost/benefits still came in favour of GenoPro.

Although my tree may not be as extensive as yours - I have embarked on a One Name Study - so have lots of unconnected sub-trees etc.

[Pam Downes]

Hi Jo,
We'll do a deal - you tell me how long a piece of string is, and I'll tell you the name of the perfect program**. :)
Have a read of this thread (http://www.british-genealogy.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=43) , and you'll find that everyone has their own favourite, but what works for one person doesn't necessarily work for another.
If you type into google 'genealogy programmes comparison' you get quite a few helpful sites, but do be prepared for some of the information to be out of date. I noticed one site was talking about Family Historian 2.3, but I think it's now 3.3 and version 4.0 is coming out in February. However the comparison charts do give you an idea of which features you might like on a programme, and then you can always check out the present version of that programme to see what other features have been added recently.
A lot of the programmes also have demo versions which you can try out.
And although you maybe eager to get started, I would advise that you spend quite a bit of time considering the options before rushing out to buy..

** There is actually no such thing as the perfect programme, because none of them will set things out/have boxes for information just the way you want. :)
Pam

[aeracura]

Thanks guys... I did find a comparison site and you can apparently get version 3 of Family Historian at the moment and get the version 4, which is due in February for free... that one looks ok, but I'll download the demo first :)

[JAP1]

Hi jo,

As Pam says - how long is a piece of string.

I always tend to say - you might as well ask "what car should I buy!".

Obviously there's no one answer! It depends on all sorts of things like what you want it to do (little town runabout, big off road vehicle, pull a caravan, RR to impress the neighbours) ...

And what you can afford ...

And what you are capable of driving ...

Etc ...

Anyway ...

I use TMG (The Master Genealogist) but it's not for everyone. Though it's very powerful and extremely flexible - some say that you can change almost anything except the name of the program. Try the demo ...

JAP

[NickM]

Jo, since you said that you weren't able to type for long, you might want to try "The Complete Genealogy Reporter" which you can get from (Sorry, direct links to commerical sites are not permitted, it does turn up if you use a search engine for the name of the programme - Geoffers, Moderator)
It starts from a GEDCOM file, which you will already probably have from Ancestry or a family history program, and it will automatically generate a PDF report, based on the contents of the GEDCOM. When that's done, you can then edit any errors, and embellish it with photos or other documents. One word of advice though, make sure you examine it before you print it, because setting certain options in the program will result in files containing hundreds of pages.

You can download a trial version from the site, so you can try it out first. The package also contains an excellent GEDCOM editor, which is excellent for weeding out orphans and duplicate entries.

[Geoffers]

From experience, in tracing back through Medieval history, it is useful to use a programme in which you can transcribe the early documents you have used (fines, recoveries, inquisitions, visitations, surveys, licences to alienate, etc) in their entirety and thoroughly index the information contained. These documents are often detailed and require an awful lot of work and additional detail can be found by thorough analysis. The programme needs to be quite flexible to deal with this.

So, whichever programme you chose, check how you can record source information - and just as importantly how you can retrieve the detail.

[DBCoup]

I chose FamilyTreeMaker as my genealogy program if for no other reason than some introductory packages included CDs which looked as though they would be useful for my American research. I have since purchased more CDs.
However, as pointed out elsewhere, the press-a-button-and-get-your-genealogy-written-for-you options tend to be rather stale and boring in style.

When I started to write up my many lines of research seriously I chose Lyx http://www.lyx.org/ (if the administrators remove this link then use you search engine to locate it.)
In Lyx you just type and can add in some formatting - mainly sections, subsections, change of fonts etc. You can add in a table of contents which can work off sections, subsections etc to generate the table automatically. Also you can add an index, highlight the text to appear in the index and press a button. There is a wee bit of cut&paste to do if, like me, you want the index to be "surname, forename".
I haven't sorted it all out yet but you can also add a bibliography. One of the formats for the bibliography file is Bibtex (see later)
Finally press a button and a formatted pdf is produced, looking quite professional.

Another tool in my arsenal is Firefox. I use this as my web browser because there is available an addon called Zotero. Zotero is a bibliography program (not as powerful as Endnote) with some useful features (not that these features are not available elsewhere but compare the price! What you save here you can invest in another certificate, or will). If you are using GoogleBooks, Amazon,etc or using the search engine on the web site of your favourite Library you can often add the book to your Zotero bibliographical database. While not all libraries subscribe to this enough do to make it very handy. Not all books transfer totally correctly as there may be errors in what is set up at the server end of this dialogue, sometimes, in particular, the enormously long book titles eg "The Baronage of Angus and Mearns. Comprising the Genealogy of Three Hundred and Sixty Families - Curious anecdotes - Description of Clan Tartans, Badges, Slogans, Armory, And Seats - Ancient Scuptures, &c. Being a Guide to the Tourist and Heraldic Artist." may not have been entered in its entirety. You can edit it later.

Zotero allows you to export your bibliographical database as (come on you already know what's coming) a Bibtex file, ready to use with Lyx.

If I knew how to add the Smilies and the Soapbox one did not look so menacing, not to mention the implied language, I would be adding him in here.

Currently I have about 15 books on the go (not wise but that's how I work) with the largest 3 at just over 100 pages, and counting....

[aeracura]

Thank you all so much, in the end my dad purchased Family Historian as a surprise for me so I am tediously trying to figure it out.... I may need something more at some stage so I've saved all of your valuable information :)

~ jo

[MarkJ]

When I started to write up my many lines of research seriously I chose Lyx http://www.lyx.org/ (if the administrators remove this link then use you search engine to locate it.)


Links are only removed when they contravene the AUP regarding commercial products.
LyX is an open source product and thus not a problem in mentioning it ;)

Mark

[Geoffers]

Thank you all so much, in the end my dad purchased Family Historian as a surprise for me so I am tediously trying to figure it out.... I may need something more at some stage so I've saved all of your valuable information

It is quite a good programme - although I only use it to record basic information to produce diagrams - and if you get stuck there is the Family Historian User Group (FHUG), which you can find using a search engine.

[raineshoe]

I use The Master Genealogist (TMG) and love it. I don't think though I use it to its fullest extent. However, as when I do family trees I have to get every little bit of info recorded etc, etc, etc, where possible, I find TMG the most flexible and accommodating. Excellent for reports on your tree too.

Its not a programme for everyone though and if you are not IT literate is not the easiest to master.:)

[jspfeifle]

Another easy-to-use genealogy program is Legacy Family Tree.

legacyfamilytree.com.

The feature-rich Legacy 7.0 makes it easy to preserve your genealogical information. Family trees containing millions of people can be recorded, displayed and reported in a variety of styles and formats. Legacy 7.0 includes all standard genealogical reports, as well as calendars, timelines, questionnaires, research logs and a multitude of blank forms and more! There is no limit as to how many individuals can be put into legacy. this program is available in multiple languages (Including four versions of English--one of which is for British users). Anyhow, just another option for those looking for an easy-to-use, and user friendly genealogy program.

Jathan Pfeifle

[Peter_uk_can]

We use Legacy and have done for about 5 years. Have no problems, it does 99.9% of what we want. We do have the "Tree" which is an extra.

use the Web facility as we have a family website that holds the Legacy created database and our own pages.

Our Internet provider (Shaw.ca) does not have a facility for SQL, so some software is not possible.

Legacy, value for money, ease of use, and diversity, my vote is "very good".


Google "Chaboyer" and look for the members.shaw.ca/psmail take a look at the Surnames option. We have just uploaded a number of "head shot" photos into the database.

[michb158]

I have been using a program called Legacy and I find it very good. It cost me $30 for lifetime updates and seems to be fairly powerful - links into igi and other search engines, allows you to map your ancestors movements with google maps, photos and thumbnails on people etc. If you google it, you will find it

[BorderReiver]

I've used Legacy for a number of years now and I wouldn't swap.