Genealogy software recommendations?
Wettlesheim
After 21 years I've decided it is long overdue and about time to buy
a genealogy program. Which one would you recommend for an amateur
just starting out? I would like one that works with ancestry.com
and one that would have a place where I could enter brief
information/stories about people.
Thanks in advance,
Ron Sohn
"Wettlesheim" <so...@speednetllc.com>
Ron Lankshear in Sydney NSW
> After 21 years I've decided it is long overdue and about time to buy
> a genealogy program. Which one would you recommend for an amateur
> just starting out? I would like one that works with ancestry.com
> and one that would have a place where I could enter brief
> information/stories about people.
>
Well Ancestry sell Family Tree Maker so presumably it works with
their site. I know lots of people use it - I heard disgruntlement
about format changes as new versions appear
However I only use free versions of Legacy and Rootsmagic (new
called Essentials)
I am happy with those
But if you want to put tree on Ancestry then FTM
There is also My Heritage which puts a tree on its own site
--
Ron Lankshear -Sydney NSW (from London-Shepherds
Bush/Chiswick)
try my links
http://freepages.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~lankshear/
Ron Lankshear in Sydney NSW <ron...@hotmail.com>
Carol V
> After 21 years I've decided it is long overdue and about time to buy
> a genealogy program. Which one would you recommend for an amateur
> just starting out? I would like one that works with ancestry.com
> and one that would have a place where I could enter brief
> information/stories about people.
>
I think RootsMagic is a great program. You can try a version for
free:
It doesn't have all the features that RootsMagic4, but it's enough
to give you a taste. Here's another link if that one doesn't work:
HTH,
Carol
Carol V <norfolkte...@gmail.com>
Michael Reich
> After 21 years I've decided it is long overdue and about time to buy
> a genealogy program. Which one would you recommend for an amateur
> just starting out? I would like one that works with ancestry.com
> and one that would have a place where I could enter brief
> information/stories about people.
>
> Ron Sohn "Wettlesheim" <so...@speednetllc.com>
Oh boy, this is going to start a lively thread.
My favorite genealogy program is RootsMagic. I've used it for
years, very easy interface, many, many features (but you can start
off simple). You can download a trial version for free at
www.rootsmagic.com. The author has had years of experience and
also listens to users.
The only drawback is that RM is only a Windows program. It will,
however, run on Linux and Mac computers using Wine.
Michael Reich <mare...@yahoo.com>
Steve Hayes
> After 21 years I've decided it is long overdue and about time to buy
> a genealogy program. Which one would you recommend for an amateur
> just starting out? I would like one that works with ancestry.com
> and one that would have a place where I could enter brief
> information/stories about people.
>
Try one of the free ones, like Legacy or PAF.
If they don't meet your needs you can look further afield.
--
Steve Hayes from Tshwane, South Africa
Web: http://hayesfam.bravehost.com/stevesig.htm
Blog: http://methodius.blogspot.com
E-mail - see web page, or parse: shayes at dunelm full stop org full stop uk
Steve Hayes <haye...@hotmail.com>
Richard Webb
Wettlesheim wrote:
> After 21 years I've decided it is long overdue and about time to buy
> a genealogy program. Which one would you recommend for an amateur
> just starting out? I would like one that works with ancestry.com
> and one that would have a place where I could enter brief
> information/stories about people.
>
Ron,
Take a look at The Master Genealogist by wholly Genes. I've been
using it for about 8 years and find it easy to use and extremely
comprehensive. There is also a great user group, at rootsweb.com to
help you get started and answer any questions. Combined with Second
Site you can create great web sites as well.
Good luck,
Dick
--
Richard Webb
Raleigh, NC
Farr and Webb Family Genealogy site: http://Genequake.com/Genealogy
Family and Seismology site: http://Genequake.com
Richard Webb <dweb...@earthlink.net>
ne...@jecarter.us
> After 21 years I've decided it is long overdue and about time to buy
> a genealogy program. Which one would you recommend for an amateur
> just starting out? I would like one that works with ancestry.com
> and one that would have a place where I could enter brief
> information/stories about people.
>
Legacy has a free version:
http://www.legacyfamilytree.com/DownloadLegacy.asp
as does PAF. There are a half-dozen other Windows-based programs.
For a Mac, you'll need to specify that you are using a Mac ;-)
As far as I know, Legacy works with all versions, including Windows
7 (I've used it on Win 98 through XP).
John
Cassandra Wong
> > After 21 years I've decided it is long overdue and about time to buy
> > a genealogy program. Which one would you recommend for an amateur
> > just starting out? I would like one that works with ancestry.com
> > and one that would have a place where I could enter brief
> > information/stories about people.
> >
>
> Well Ancestry sell Family Tree Maker so presumably it works with
> their site. I know lots of people use it - I heard disgruntlement
> about format changes as new versions appear
>
> However I only use free versions of Legacy and Rootsmagic (new
> called Essentials)
>
> I am happy with those
>
> But if you want to put tree on Ancestry then FTM
>
> There is also My Heritage which puts a tree on its own site
>
I vote for using TMG - Wholly Genes, I know everyone is going to say
it is hard, yes there is a bit of a learning curve, but NOTHING
compares to the reports, you can do customize the way you enter. I
have had other programs and I just hate all of the upgrades $$$
don't have that with TMG. In most cities there is a group that
meets monthly to help or there is a great group online.
Cassandra
"Cassandra Wong" <cte...@charter.net>
J. Hugh Sullivan
> After 21 years I've decided it is long overdue and about time to buy
> a genealogy program. Which one would you recommend for an amateur
> just starting out? I would like one that works with ancestry.com
> and one that would have a place where I could enter brief
> information/stories about people.
>
I wonder what you mean by "works with ancestry.com". I have
subscribed to ancestry for years and the three programs I have on my
computer work exactly as I wish
If you mean posting your tree probably any reputable program will do
that. I don't publish my trees.
If you mean downloading trees and merging, most reputable programs
will do that. I strongly recommend against trusting anyone else's
tree unless sourced and you check the sources. I also deplore that
lack of consistency in recording data, particularly places.
Most reputable programs have provisions for notes.
I'm still looking for the perfect program. Perhaps I can't find it
because I'm not perfect.
Hugh
Ea...@bellsouth.net (J. Hugh Sullivan)
gailj...@aol.com
The best program out there is RootsMagic, in my opinion. I have
used many others and keep coming back to this one, for overall ease
of use and productivity. It also has a free version you can try
before you buy. You certainly can't beat that!
Gail
Wes Groleau
> Well Ancestry sell Family Tree Maker so presumably it works with
> their site. I know lots of people use it - I heard disgruntlement
My "disgruntlement" is with
1. Putting three levels of REPO subrecords in a level zero note
and then referencing that note in the SOUR instead of putting
the REPO sub there where it belongs.
2. Creating another such NOTE for every SOUR, even when its
contents are identical to dozens of others.
3. Creating them at all when most of them say absolutely nothing.
--
Wes Groleau
Franco's Statues Almost Gone
http://Ideas.Lang-Learn.us/russell?itemid=3D1011
Wes Groleau <Grolea...@FreeShell.org>
Wes Groleau
> I'm still looking for the perfect program. Perhaps I can't find it
> because I'm not perfect.
>
There are two kinds of programs:
1. The one you wrote yourself. You probably won't consider
it perfect unless you were actually successful in coding
_exactly_ what you wanted.
2. Those you did not write. You definitely won't consider
it perfect unless you were actually successful in telling
the programmer _exactly_ what you wanted--AND he/she
was not only able to do it but also motivated to do it.
--
Wes Groleau
New Worksheets: Blue Butterfly and War of the Worlds
http://Ideas.Lang-Learn.us/russell?itemid=1598
Wes Groleau <Grolea...@FreeShell.org>
singhals
> After 21 years I've decided it is long overdue and about time to buy
> a genealogy program. Which one would you recommend for an amateur
> just starting out? I would like one that works with ancestry.com
> and one that would have a place where I could enter brief
> information/stories about people.
>
It rather depends on /exactly/ what you're wanting to do.
For the PC world --
If you're wanting something easy-to-learn and hard-to-foul-up, try
PAF free from www.familysearch.org under their Software tab. It has
a place called NOTES which is a free-form text editor, into which
you can put anything you wish to keep handy. It also has several
little nooks'n'crannies into which you can put stuff (just be aware
that some of those little nooks are black-holes in disguise). Very
similar but not free is Ancestral Quest, the parent of PAF.
If you're looking for enormously popular, try Family Tree Maker. A
wholly owned subsidiary of Ancestry, it /better/ "work with"
Ancestry.com! Quite quite different from PAF in screen display,
data-entry; FTM has nothing similiar to NOTES, but it teems with
nooks'n'crannies.
Roots Magic is recently very popular, as are a couple others I
haven't tried.
There's Brother's Keeper, a shareware program.
All those are LINEAGE-linked, as in you enter families as Child +
mother + father + spouse + children in related groups.
If you're working from other perspectives, you might be happier with
The Master Genealogist (TMG). It is EVENT-linked, as in you enter
an event (say, The wedding of Prince Charles to Lady Diana, or the
Phi Lambda Pi Christmas Tea) and then enter everyone who attended.
For the *ix world, I think you've got GRAMPS unless you're running
the PC emulator program.
For the MAC world, Reunion seems to be the major player, unless
you're running MAC's PC emulator or have a dual-boot.
Some of these have very clean screens, others have painfully
cluttered ones; there's one that subdivided into about 16 different
areas, all a different background color.
It's sort of like cars or ice cream -- the one I like might not suit
you at all. You'll just have to tour the websites, look at the demo
programs or the screen shots then try out a few. Keep the one that
annoys you least.
Good luck.
Cheryl
singhals <sing...@erols.com>
Nigel Bufton
There is no perfect program, just as there is no perfect food and no
perfect partner. Tastes and needs vary.
Nigel
Ian Goddard
singhals wrote:
> > After 21 years I've decided it is long overdue and about time to buy
> > a genealogy program. Which one would you recommend for an amateur
> > just starting out? I would like one that works with ancestry.com
> > and one that would have a place where I could enter brief
> > information/stories about people.
>
> It rather depends on /exactly/ what you're wanting to do.
>
> For the PC world --
>
> If you're wanting something easy-to-learn and hard-to-foul-up, try
> PAF free from www.familysearch.org under their Software tab.
Long ago when I tried PAF I found it very easy to foul up. Import a
GEDCOM containing a the baptisms of a number of children of a large
family and start to merge the parents. Inevitably it got its
pointers in a twist & couldn't recover.
> ......
> All those are LINEAGE-linked, as in you enter families as Child +
> mother + father + spouse + children in related groups.
>
> If you're working from other perspectives, you might be happier with
> The Master Genealogist (TMG). It is EVENT-linked, as in you enter
> an event (say, The wedding of Prince Charles to Lady Diana, or the
> Phi Lambda Pi Christmas Tea) and then enter everyone who attended.
>
> For the *ix world, I think you've got GRAMPS unless you're running
> the PC emulator program.
You certainly do have GRAMPS (http://www.gramps-project.org) in the
Linux & MAC OS X worlds and according to the web-site "guides for
installation on BSD and Solaris are available". But you also have
it in the Windows world as well.
In the terms described above there is some flexibility about data
entry. You can build through family entry as described but you can
also enter people on their own and then link them into families.
>From either individual or family forms you can create linked events.
You can also create events and link people and/or families but with
the proviso that having created an event you have to go to the
person or family forms to create those links so it's rather less
than a fully-fledged event-linked system. As standard there are 45
event-types but you can also create your own. There's also plenty
of scope for adding notes against all manner of things and links to
external files.
However, like PAF and just about everything else it doesn't
distinguish between the representation of people as names associated
with evidence (or events if you prefer) and the historical
reconstruction of those people. Say, for instance, you enter the
name John Smith several times: as the father in a series of
baptisms, as children being baptised and as grooms in marriages. If
you then decide that several of these entries refer to the same
person you have to merge those multiple John Smiths as descried
under PAF. If you then decide you've made a mistake with one or two
merges you can't readily unpick the mess. (Actually there is an
undo in GRAMPS but it's limited - there are several actions which
close the door on undoing previous actions.) This is common, AFAIK,
to just about all genealogy S/W (I'd like to hear of any exceptions)
& is the consequence of an inadequate data model. As far as GRAMPS
is concerned it's easier than I'd like to make a mistake in merging
because the merge form doesn't, where the merge target is a parent,
include the date of birth/baptism of a child so there's no
chronological control.
I'm not sure whether you'd consider it an embarrassing bug or a
feature but GRAMPS seems to have a tradition of supremely silly
release names, e.g. "Spam, bacon, sausage, and spam" and "Skip the
impersonations".
--
Ian
The Hotmail address is my spam-bin. Real mail address is iang
at austonley org uk
Ian Goddard <godd...@hotmail.co.uk>
J. Hugh Sullivan
> > I'm still looking for the perfect program. Perhaps I can't find it
> > because I'm not perfect.
> >
> > J. Hugh Sullivan
>
> There are two kinds of programs:
>
> 1. The one you wrote yourself. You probably won't consider
> it perfect unless you were actually successful in coding
> _exactly_ what you wanted.
>
> 2. Those you did not write. You definitely won't consider
> it perfect unless you were actually successful in telling
> the programmer _exactly_ what you wanted--AND he/she
> was not only able to do it but also motivated to do it.
>
Some years ago I made a couple of suggestions and Bruce Buzbee
actually included them in his programming. Of course they were
suggestions that would appeal to most of the purchasers vice just a
few.
Kurt F
Cheryl Singhals <sing...@erols.com> wrote:
> <snip>
>
> If you're looking for enormously popular, try Family Tree Maker. A
> wholly owned subsidiary of Ancestry, it /better/ =22work with=22
> Ancestry.com=21 Quite quite different from PAF in screen display,
> data-entry; FTM has nothing similiar to NOTES, but it teems with
> nooks'n'crannies.
I'm only curious. I have been using FTM since its first Windows-
version and am now using FTM 2006. That version have a Notes
window. Is that taken away in later versions?
The reason for my usage of FTM was that the data-entry display look
almost exactly as my own specification for the genealogy program I
planned to write. And despite so many fellow genealogists are
disgruntled with the program, it still fills my needs. And I have
no urge to "upgrade" to a later version.
Kurt F
"Kurt F" <kurt.fre...@ieee.org>
J. Hugh Sullivan
That's the message any newbie should first understand - and us
oldbies, too.
Hugh
J. Hugh Sullivan
Well, it's one of the ones I could not do withour - but don't sell
Legacy and TMG short.
Hugh
Bob Melson
Cheryl Singhals (sing...@erols.com) opined:
> <snip>
>
> For the *ix world, I think you've got GRAMPS unless you're running
> the PC emulator program.
Have to barge in here. There's also FTree, GeneWeb and phpGedView.
FTree is a fairly simple, graphic oriented app. that'll create a
"standard" gedcom; otherwise it has virtually no reporting. Free.
GeneWeb is highly idiosyncratic, has limited reporting and requires
some computer savvy to install. It's capable of running in
web-server mode or will run under the web-server of your choice. Is
almost infinitely configurable as to what's shown or not. I _think_
there's a windows executable version available; otherwise, to
compile from source requires the Ocaml language be in place.
Support is from the "author" in France. Will produce a "standard"
gedcom. Free.
phpGedView requires Apache, PHP and a database manager to run;
definitely not for the faint of heart or novice user. Has excellent
reporting, data entry is straightforward; good contextual help.
There is a version for windows but I haven't used it. Frequent
updates, good support. All components are free. Intended more for
"collaborative genealogy" than for use as a stand-alone. I've used
it as my primary genealogy application since first discovering it
4-5 years (or more) ago and have never encountered a major problem
with it.
Then there's GenealogyJ - written in java, runs wherever java's
installed. Very idiosyncratic display, but highly competent. Pretty
good reporting, graphics leave something to be desired, multiple
views of data. Produces a standard gedcom.
<snip>
Swell Ol' Bob
--
Robert G. Melson | Rio Grande MicroSolutions | El Paso, Texas
-----
Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.
Arthur C. Clarke's 3d Law
Bob Melson <amia...@mypacks.net>
singhals
> > I'm still looking for the perfect program. Perhaps I can't find it
> > because I'm not perfect.
> >
>
> There are two kinds of programs:
>
> 1. The one you wrote yourself. You probably won't consider
> it perfect unless you were actually successful in coding
> _exactly_ what you wanted.
>
> 2. Those you did not write. You definitely won't consider
> it perfect unless you were actually successful in telling
> the programmer _exactly_ what you wanted--AND he/she
> was not only able to do it but also motivated to do it.
>
> Wes Groleau
Either way, a week and half after you declare it PERFECT!, you'll
need to so something it won't let you do.
Use the commercial program that annoys you least and learn how to
out-smart it. Gives you a nice case of the warm-fuzzies every time
you succeed. (g)
Cheryl
singhals <sing...@erols.com>
Steve Hayes
> > If you're wanting something easy-to-learn and hard-to-foul-up, try
> > PAF free from www.familysearch.org under their Software tab.
>
> Long ago when I tried PAF I found it very easy to foul up. Import a
> GEDCOM containing a the baptisms of a number of children of a large
> family and start to merge the parents. Inevitably it got its
> pointers in a twist & couldn't recover.
>
Which version?
I use PAF 4 for quick 'n dirty imports of GEDCOMS, followed by a
match/merge, and haven't had any problems so far.
--
Steve Hayes from Tshwane, South Africa
Web: http://hayesfam.bravehost.com/stevesig.htm
Blog: http://methodius.blogspot.com
E-mail - see web page, or parse: shayes at dunelm full stop org full stop uk
Steve Hayes <haye...@telkomsa.net>
Peter J Seymour
> > ......
> >
> > There is no perfect program, just as there is no perfect food and no
> > perfect partner. Tastes and needs vary.
> >
> > Nigel Bufton <ni...@bufton.org>
>
> That's the message any newbie should first understand - and us
> oldbies, too.
>
> Hugh
That's a good point. Several years ago I had the idea of writing my
own program which came to be called Gendatam Suite. Today it is
almost ready for general release and along the way a lot of time has
been spent dealing with technical issues, incorporating new
features, expanding existing features and so on. Part of that
problem is that the more one gets into the subject, the more ones
idea of the required feature set develops. It becomes something of
a never ending task. In terms of the program doing what I want it
to that's fine, but for a potentially commercial product, it is kind
of hair-raising. Because I have my own program, I don't often use
others.
Peter
Peter J Seymour <mo...@pjsey.demon.co.uk>
singhals
> "singhals" <sing...@erols.com> wrote:
>
> > <snip>
> >
> > If you're looking for enormously popular, try Family Tree Maker.
> > Ancestry.com. Quite quite different from PAF in screen display,
> > data-entry; FTM has nothing similiar to NOTES, but it teems with
> > nooks'n'crannies.
>
> I'm only curious. I have been using FTM since its first Windows-
> version and am now using FTM 2006. That version have a Notes
> window. Is that taken away in later versions?
>
> The reason for my usage of FTM was that the data-entry display look
> almost exactly as my own specification for the genealogy program I
> planned to write. And despite so many fellow genealogists are
> disgruntled with the program, it still fills my needs. And I have
> no urge to "upgrade" to a later version.
>
> "Kurt F"
Probably not -- I don't /like/ FTW and so don't use it often. As I
recall though, what it called NOTES was a fairly restrictive place
while PAF's NOTES even then took 9 or more full pages of text.
As I've said -- different programs suit different people.
Cheryl
singhals <sing...@erols.com>
singhals
Ian Goddard wrote:
> singhals wrote:
>
> > > After 21 years I've decided it is long overdue and about time to buy
> > > a genealogy program. Which one would you recommend for an amateur
> > > just starting out? I would like one that works with ancestry.com
> > > and one that would have a place where I could enter brief
> > > information/stories about people.
> >
> > It rather depends on /exactly/ what you're wanting to do.
> >
> > For the PC world --
> >
> > If you're wanting something easy-to-learn and hard-to-foul-up, try
> > PAF free from www.familysearch.org under their Software tab.
>
> Long ago when I tried PAF I found it very easy to foul up. Import a
> GEDCOM containing a the baptisms of a number of children of a large
> family and start to merge the parents. Inevitably it got its
> pointers in a twist & couldn't recover.
I learned back around PAF 2.1 that Merging was a truly dreadful
idea. FAR easier to retype something than clean up the post-merge
disaster.
> > ......
> > All those are LINEAGE-linked, as in you enter families as Child +
> > mother + father + spouse + children in related groups.
> >
> > If you're working from other perspectives, you might be happier with
> > The Master Genealogist (TMG). It is EVENT-linked, as in you enter
> > an event (say, The wedding of Prince Charles to Lady Diana, or the
> > Phi Lambda Pi Christmas Tea) and then enter everyone who attended.
> >
> > For the *ix world, I think you've got GRAMPS unless you're running
> > the PC emulator program.
>
I've kind of lost touch with the *ix world last few years.
Cheryl
singhals <sing...@erols.com>
singhals
Bob Melson wrote:
> Cheryl Singhals (sing...@erols.com) opined:
>
> > <snip>
> >
> > For the *ix world, I think you've got GRAMPS unless you're running
> > the PC emulator program.
>
> Have to barge in here. There's also FTree, GeneWeb and phpGedView.
Thanks, Bob.
Cheryl
singhals <sing...@erols.com>
Bob Melson
> Bob Melson wrote:
>
> > Cheryl Singhals (sing...@erols.com) opined:
> >
> > > <snip>
> > >
> > > For the *ix world, I think you've got GRAMPS unless you're running
> > > the PC emulator program.
> >
> > Have to barge in here. There's also FTree, GeneWeb and phpGedView.
WRT GeneWeb, I shoulda said it's capable of running standalone, can/
will operate as its own web server or will happily run under, e.g.
Apache. That said, unless things have change dramatically for the
better in recent releases, it has really crappy security for network
use and only limited reporting capabilities. Data entry screens are
quite good - once you discover you MUST turn 3 times widdershins
while chanting the spell of the day (TM). Some of our cousins in
Albion might consider it a good example of French arsey-varsey, but
it's really quite competent once you manage to figure out the proper
incantations. It's not a program I'd recommend to a novice,
although the jaded hacker might find pleasure playing with it. I
don't recall whether it's under the GNU Public License or not, but
source IS available to pick at and, ahem, improve.
Santa-ed Out Bob
Ian Goddard
> > > If you're wanting something easy-to-learn and hard-to-foul-up, try
> > > PAF free from www.familysearch.org under their Software tab.
> > Long ago when I tried PAF I found it very easy to foul up. Import a
> > GEDCOM containing a the baptisms of a number of children of a large
> > family and start to merge the parents. Inevitably it got its
> > pointers in a twist & couldn't recover.
> >
> > Ian Goddard <godd...@hotmail.co.uk>
>
> Which version?
>
> I use PAF 4 for quick 'n dirty imports of GEDCOMS, followed by a
> match/merge, and haven't had any problems so far.
>
Dunno. It was a long time ago.
J. Hugh Sullivan
To me the almost perfect program would be one that allowed either/or
options for recording and especially printing purposes.
I think we have the right to presume that a reputable genealogy
program is a data base in which we can record pertinent facts no
matter how unique our choosing. But, again to me, the proof of the
pudding is the published report that we can review.
Should we print everythng even if it is 396 pages or more - and
might change dramatically tomorrow? Or should we just print name and
basic events with dates letting readers do their own research. Maybe
we should print no more than two generations at a time thus reducing
the number of pages that must be redone because of OOPS.
So, getting back to options, I think we should be allowed to "do our
thing" as opposed to a group of programmers deciding what we should
do. Our own experience is a great teacher.
In my defense I make no pretense of this being a thorough, or even
literate, dissertation (not saying I could) - it's just a cupla
random thots.
J. Hugh Sullivan
I' old enough to remember when it rhymed - like "different strokes
for different folks". You young people keep reinventing the grammar
wheel.
Hugh
Wes Groleau
singhals wrote:
> Use the commercial program that annoys you least and learn how to
> out-smart it. Gives you a nice case of the warm-fuzzies every time
> you succeed. (g)
Or use the open-source program that annoys you least and learn how
to change it.
--
Wes Groleau
World's Strangest Laws
http://Ideas.Lang-Learn.us/russell?itemid=3D1478
Wes Groleau <Grolea...@FreeShell.org>
Keith Nuttle
The ideal genealogy program would be based on an universally
readable database, not a proprietary one as most programs are today.
sql, access, or the old Dbase file structure.
I very rarely print to paper, but always maintain a near current
copy as a PDF file. It only takes a minute to "print" a new copy of
my data.
Keith Nuttle <keith_...@sbcglobal.net>
bob gillis
> To me the almost perfect program would be one that allowed either/or
> options for recording and especially printing purposes.
>
> I think we have the right to presume that a reputable genealogy
> program is a data base in which we can record pertinent facts no
> matter how unique our choosing. But, again to me, the proof of the
> pudding is the published report that we can review.
>
> Should we print everythng even if it is 396 pages or more - and
> might change dramatically tomorrow? Or should we just print name and
> basic events with dates letting readers do their own research. Maybe
> we should print no more than two generations at a time thus reducing
> the number of pages that must be redone because of OOPS.
>
> So, getting back to options, I think we should be allowed to "do our
> thing" as opposed to a group of programmers deciding what we should
> do. Our own experience is a great teacher.
>
> In my defense I make no pretense of this being a thorough, or even
> literate, dissertation (not saying I could) - it's just a cupla
> random thots.
>
Most of what Hugh wants already exists in The Master Genealogist.
bob gillis
bob gillis <robert...@verizon.net>
Kurt F
I'm really glad that someone calls me young.
I'm only 79 years young and English isn't my native language.
I wish you a Happy New Year
Steve Hayes
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> I think we have the right to presume that a reputable genealogy
> program is a data base in which we can record pertinent facts no
> matter how unique our choosing. But, again to me, the proof of the
> pudding is the published report that we can review.
>
> Should we print everythng even if it is 396 pages or more - and
> might change dramatically tomorrow? Or should we just print name and
> basic events with dates letting readers do their own research. Maybe
> we should print no more than two generations at a time thus reducing
> the number of pages that must be redone because of OOPS.
>
> So, getting back to options, I think we should be allowed to "do our
> thing" as opposed to a group of programmers deciding what we should
> do. Our own experience is a great teacher.
>
> Ea...@bellsouth.net (J. Hugh Sullivan)
I agree, and that is why I wish that programs like Legacy would
provide a biography field as well as a notes field. There are some
things that I want to include as notes that I don't want to print in
a biography.
Steve Hayes
Ian Goddard
> In terms of the program doing what I want it
> to that's fine, but for a potentially commercial product, it is kind
> of hair-raising.
>
Only for users. For the vendor it's the source of an unending
opportunity to sell upgrades. ;-)
J. Hugh Sullivan
I'm not sure I am smart enough to use TMG but I have tried it a
couple of times. What I really wanted to do was be Bob Velke's
opponent at a cut-throat bridge table - not duplicate.
Hugh
J. Hugh Sullivan
> > I' old enough to remember when it rhymed - like "different strokes
> > for different folks". You young people keep reinventing the grammar
> > wheel.
> >
> > Hugh "J. Hugh Sullivan" <Ea...@bellsouth.net>
>
> I'm really glad that someone calls me young.
>
> I'm only 79 years young and English isn't my native language.
>
> I wish you a Happy New Year
>
My native language is Drawl (deep South format). I was once told
that the only "r" in my vocabulary was at the end of the word
"window", like "winder". Finely I larned them Anglish purty gud.
And may 2010 treat you kindly also.
Peter J Seymour
Well my approach in Gendatam Suite is that essentially two types of
report are provided. One type does querying of the data in various
ways. The other is the more standard ancestry or descdancy report
etc. In both cases I am gradually incorporating a larger range of
options to give the user more control. The reason for that is I
don't necessarily want to use one particular style for all purposes.
J. Hugh Sullivan
Horse sense is the sense horses have that keeps them from betting on
people races.
I'll go quietly, officer.
singhals
> > As I've said -- different programs suit different people.
> >
>
> I' old enough to remember when it rhymed - like "different strokes
> for different folks". You young people keep reinventing the grammar
> wheel.
>
Everytime I use Different Strokes, some/body/ mentions the TV
program. :(
Cheryl
singhals <sing...@erols.com>
singhals
> singhals wrote:
>
> > Use the commercial program that annoys you least and learn how to
> > out-smart it. Gives you a nice case of the warm-fuzzies every time
> > you succeed. (g)
>
> to change it.
>
> Wes Groleau
With a narrow enough definition of "commercial", sure. I was
thinking "pre-programmed" vs "homemade" though.
Happy New Year.
Cheryl
singhals <sing...@erols.com>
singhals
> readable database, not a proprietary one as most programs are today.
> sql, access, or the old Dbase file structure.
>
> I very rarely print to paper, but always maintain a near current
> copy as a PDF file. It only takes a minute to "print" a new copy of
> my data.
>
> Keith Nuttle
I'm happy to grant that printing to PDF is faster and more
considerate of the environment, but in return you have to grant that
it's pretty difficult for folks with no computer to read a PDF.
There simply is no universal truth on either programs, OS, archival
media, or anything much else.
Cheryl
singhals <sing...@erols.com>
bob gillis
Steve Hayes wrote:
> <snip>
>
> I agree, and that is why I wish that programs like Legacy would
> provide a biography field as well as a notes field. There are some
> things that I want to include as notes that I don't want to print in
> a biography.
Is your biography a particular style of report?
I thought that Legacy has the provision for custom events or tags.
A quick scan of its features does not show that. Surprising
However The Master Genealogist does and you can select most standard
Tags and any custom Tags to print or not print in most narrative
reports.
Wettlesheim
> After 21 years I've decided it is long overdue and about time to buy
> a genealogy program. Which one would you recommend for an amateur
> just starting out? I would like one that works with ancestry.com
> and one that would have a place where I could enter brief
> information/stories about people.
>
I'd like to thanks everybody for sharing their knowledge and
offering suggestions.
Ron Sohn