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General => Technical Help => Family History Programs, Tree Organisation, Presentation => Topic started by: cheshiremog on Monday 26 August 19 13:15 BST (UK)

Title: Best family tree software
Post by: cheshiremog on Monday 26 August 19 13:15 BST (UK)
Hi - can anyone please recommend a good family tree software, quite happy to buy rather than use a free one - looking for ease of use, nice clear charts and attractive trees that print to A4 and can be saved as pdf files so easy to share and ability to do several separate trees.
Title: Re: Best family tree software
Post by: Gadget on Monday 26 August 19 13:31 BST (UK)
Family Historian

https://www.family-historian.co.uk/

I've used it since Falkyrn recommended it back in 2006 - now on Version 6 :)
Title: Re: Best family tree software
Post by: Nic. on Monday 26 August 19 15:57 BST (UK)
Family Historian

I have used since 2004.  What I like about it is you can make your own event type if necessary. It’s flexible.

You can also print to PDF or Word format document.

Nic
Title: Re: Best family tree software
Post by: rosie99 on Monday 26 August 19 16:09 BST (UK)
Can you use it on a 'Mac'
Title: Re: Best family tree software
Post by: Gadget on Monday 26 August 19 16:36 BST (UK)
Can you use it on a 'Mac'

Unfortunately No. That's why I have both PC and Mac

Added -you could if you ran Windows on your Mac though. I prefer to keep them separate!
Title: Re: Best family tree software
Post by: rosie99 on Monday 26 August 19 16:43 BST (UK)
Can you use it on a 'Mac'

Unfortunately No. That's why I have both PC and Mac

That is a shame  :)
Title: Re: Best family tree software
Post by: Gadget on Monday 26 August 19 16:44 BST (UK)
Sorry Rosie, I added that you could if you ran Windows on a separate partition.
Title: Re: Best family tree software
Post by: arthurk on Monday 26 August 19 16:59 BST (UK)
Can you use it on a 'Mac'

Unfortunately No. That's why I have both PC and Mac

Added -you could if you ran Windows on your Mac though. I prefer to keep them separate!

To expand a little on Gadget's answer, you need an emulator or virtual machine - see the user group's knowledge base:

https://www.fhug.org.uk/wiki/doku.php?id=how_to:family_historian_on_imac_ipad_android_etc

I haven't ever needed to try this, so can't comment on how well it works. However, the subject is discussed from time to time in the user group's forum:

https://www.fhug.org.uk/forum/index.php
Title: Re: Best family tree software
Post by: rosie99 on Monday 26 August 19 17:25 BST (UK)
Sorry cheshiremog for 'highjacking your post.

Thank you Gadget & arthurk for the explanation.  I have Paf on my laptop  ;D and FTM on my mac (which I hate). Just looking at alternatives for the mac, probably rootsmagic then.
Title: Re: Best family tree software
Post by: KGarrad on Monday 26 August 19 17:37 BST (UK)
The original question is subject to many and varied subjective answers!

It's rather like asking which is the best wine, coffee or beer ;D

Personally I use RootsMagic.
Title: Re: Best family tree software
Post by: McGroger on Tuesday 27 August 19 09:02 BST (UK)
I think the three dedicated mac programs to consider are "Family Tree Maker for Mac"; "Reunion" and "MacFamilyTree". Each one has its pros and cons. Go to each website, get an idea of the look and feel from the website, download a demo copy and see which one works for you.
Cheers,
Peter
Title: Re: Best family tree software
Post by: Mart 'n' Al on Tuesday 27 August 19 09:20 BST (UK)
The way to choose software for any application is to decide what you want it to do, then find the ones which actually meet your requirements. Then look at the other features and the cost. Then make your decision after giving your short list of products a try by importing your gedcom back up.

Martin
Title: Re: Best family tree software
Post by: RJ_Paton on Tuesday 27 August 19 10:33 BST (UK)
For Mac specific Genealogy Software have a read at these reviews
https://machow2.com/best-family-tree-software-mac/

As said by others the best thing (PC or MAC) is to try the programs  what might be the ideal program for me might not suit the way YOU work. Get the piece of software that most closely approaches the way you work or want to work rather than you adapting your methodology to suit the program
Title: Re: Best family tree software
Post by: cheshiremog on Sunday 01 September 19 18:11 BST (UK)
Many thanks for the ideas and comments. I will give them a try.
Title: Re: Best family tree software
Post by: Mart 'n' Al on Sunday 01 September 19 22:00 BST (UK)
I have been looking at MyHeritage Family Tree Builder recently.  As it is free and highly functional, it should get serious consideration.  It is very intuitive (easy to use without the manual), but it does have a very substantial and detailed manual.  It is totally free, but you need a subscription if you synchronize your data with the website after 250 folk on your tree.  There are no PC limits.

If I wasn't happy with what I already use, it would be my choice.  I'd love to hear any negative aspects.

Martin
Title: Re: Best family tree software
Post by: KGarrad on Sunday 01 September 19 22:29 BST (UK)
Probably OK, but . . . . .

MyHeritage: In October 2017, the genealogy website MyHeritage suffered a data breach. The incident was reported 7 months later after a security researcher discovered the data and contacted MyHeritage. In total, more than 92M customer records were exposed and included email addresses and salted SHA-1 password hashes. In 2019, the data appeared listed for sale on a dark web marketplace (along with several other large breaches) and subsequently began circulating more broadly.

Only last week I received an email demanding payment in BitCoin, and quoting the password I used on MyHeritage?