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General => Technical Help => Family History Programs, Tree Organisation, Presentation => Topic started by: jmp on Wednesday 09 April 25 22:49 BST (UK)
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Hi all,
I wonder if I could ask for some input into current Genealogy/Family History Programs which people use? I have used Family Historian for years and am very happy with it but I have recently been asked by a friend what programs are currently available. I have googled some I knew of but, to be honest, some of them look like they may have been discontinued, so I was wondering if people would be kind enough to share their experiences with others so in turn I can share them with my friend.
Also can you now have a free Ancestry/Findmypast tree without a subscription? I know you used to be able to, but with limited options, and I found that a standalone program gave you more flexibility so I have always stuck with that.
Many thanks in advance for anyone's opinion
Jackie ;)
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I have used RootsMagic for years!
It also has the free RootsMagic Essentials, which can be upgraded to the full version on payment.
It is possible to use Ancestry without a subscription, but you can't view any Ancestry records.
I have about 12 trees, but no current subscription.
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It's funny to find someone still writing about 'programmes', which normally suggest radio or concert-hall. Maybe we have to blame America, but since about 1970 anything loosely connected with computers has been a Program - same word but different flavour :-[
I am also very happy with Family Historian !
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Thanks K Garrard for that suggestion. I will look into it for her. :)
Sorry to offend you Andrew, guess as you say its my age but I think most people would understand what I meant in the context. I have though modified the post and hope I will remember next time :-[
Cheers
Jackie
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Sorry to offend you Andrew, guess as you say its my age but I think most people would understand what I meant in the context.
I'm not at all offended, Jackie, nor did I suggest anything about your age, which is quite probably less than mine :( Others will also know what you mean !
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Hi jmp,
Is this list of use if you have not come across it ?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_genealogy_software (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_genealogy_software)
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Yes thankyou F1fan, that is very useful. It seems to show that alternative progs I was familiar with seem to have disappeared now. Thank you again :)
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It's funny to find someone still writing about 'programmes', which normally suggest radio or concert-hall. Maybe we have to blame America, but since about 1970 anything loosely connected with computers has been a Program - same word but different flavour :-[
"Flavor", surely? ;)
About 10 years ago I noticed some organisations in the UK were starting to switch to 'programme'... but then everything became an 'App' instead.
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It is possible to use Ancestry without a subscription, but you can't view any Ancestry records.
I have about 12 trees, but no current subscription.
TBH I'd be cautious about using Ancestry for a tree if not subscribing, or at least make sure regular copies are made into an offline system.
As a commercial organisation there's not much stopping Ancestry introducing a policy in future where only subscribers are able to see the trees they've uploaded. A semi-related thing happened with FindMyPast where library users were able to save records within their account to view when they got home... then FindMyPast changed it so you had to subscribe to see saved records.
I'm not saying Ancestry will change access rules, but worth thinking about for anyone relying on their site as the sole location a tree is stored.
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Thanks Nick for the advice re Ancestry etc. I have never put a tree online myself as I didn't like the very very small print they had buried in their terms and conditions ( and may still have) which said that whatever was on there was "their property". I prefer a standalone program which I can check against Ancestry/FindMyPast from the outside if necessary ;)
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Roots Magic.
It is cheaper than many other Apps.
It has good error checking tools.
You can upload a full tree to Ancestry, including media, documents etc and keep the two trees sync’d via its Tree Share feature.
It is a good idea to subscribe to and to have a tree on Ancestry (you can make the tree Private but searchable).
If you have not taken a DNA test then your family tree is just a series of people with documentation to support their inclusion, the tree is not necessarily an accurate representation of your biological family. Only with DNA validation of each branch back to say 4xGGP can you be confident that it is a Biological Family Tree.
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"Maybe we have to blame America"
Perhaps 'thank' would be a better verb. There's no truckling to archaic French in our spelling. It's simple and non-effete. If Brits were in charge, we'd have wigwammes and spamme.
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Thanks Biggles for another vote for Rootsmagic. I will pass it on.
No, I havent gone down the DNA route myself and don't intend to in the near future. I have had extensive dealings in my professional life with DNA results produced by Government departments for Court cases to know that even they are fallible. Let alone companies which make a profit without the proper checks and balances being in place.
I suppose that Family History is now two separate entities. Do you want a biological tree based on DNA or do you want the "family tree" based upon who actually was responsible for bringing the child up and who they, the child, regarded as their parents or step parents? At the moment I am happy to go down the latter route with the accompanying documentation and historical implications. I know I have a couple of illegitimate lines in there already some of which I know who the parents are and some I dont. Maybe sometime in the future one of my descendants might want to look at the DNA version when the results are a little more accurate. ;)
Cheers
Jackie
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Thanks Biggles for another vote for Rootsmagic. I will pass it on.
No, I havent gone down the DNA route myself and don't intend to in the near future. I have had extensive dealings in my professional life with DNA results produced by Government departments for Court cases to know that even they are fallible. Let alone companies which make a profit without the proper checks and balances being in place.
I suppose that Family History is now two separate entities. Do you want a biological tree based on DNA or do you want the "family tree" based upon who actually was responsible for bringing the child up and who they, the child, regarded as their parents or step parents? At the moment I am happy to go down the latter route with the accompanying documentation and historical implications. I know I have a couple of illegitimate lines in there already some of which I know who the parents are and some I dont. Maybe sometime in the future one of my descendants might want to look at the DNA version when the results are a little more accurate. ;)
Cheers
Jackie
Another to me very useful feature of Roots Magic is that you can create a USB Memory Stick which has the software and the full family tree on it. The software will run off the device and all the tree is fully viewable including the documents, media etc. Useful for supplying copies to family members for inclusion in their own version of the family archives.
DNA testing is a personal choice and its accuracy for genealogical research is well proven. However I understand the views of others who are less enamoured with using DNA with their family research.
If I have a DNA match who shares 100cM of DNA with me, we are related, and I have the documents and citations to verify the tree branch pathway between us hence DNA validates that pathway.
My birth certificate has my father shown, it is a false document, from a Genealogical perspective we cannot now rely on the accuracy of documents alone in proving a relationship.
DNA has shown that he was not my Biological Father, a DNA test has shown that my Half Sister shares 1800cM with me, and hence I know who my Biological Father was.
So 15 years of family research has via a DNA test revealed that Half my Family Tree is incorrect.
Now is the time to generate a Family Tree that is both Biological and Familial in nature, and that is the case with my own as the branch lines from both my Biological Father and my “adopted Dad” are included in my tree.
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Well that is very useful information Biggles and I will certainly pass it on to her. I am pleased you discovered your biological father as a result and the inclusion of your familial family is also nice to hear :D