I have previously used Family Tree Maker 2009, and decided to upgrade to take advantage of the 6 month ancestry offer. Just to note that before I relay my initial review I am from an IT background so I am not usually thrown by software problems but this has to be the worse software install I have undertaken in a good few years since I was Beta testing software.
I am on Windows 7 and I popped the CD in and upon install I got the following error about halfway through install:
Family Tree Maker 2010 Error
Error 1330.A file that is required cannot be installed because the cabinet file E:\Core_A~1.cab has an invalid digital signature. This may indicate that the cabinet file is corrupt. Error 24592 was returned by WinVerifyTrust." Followed by "Error 1603 Fatal Error during Installation".
A quick Google shows this is not a unique error to me. A workaround was to perform a clean boot on Windows. I will list how to do that below in case I am not alone in this. I also disconnected my broadband and disabled my firewall and virus software. The install went through on this time so I reset the boot options and rebooted normally.
Upon opening the software I then get another error message that FMT was unable to be opened. On the desktop icon I right clicked and in the compatibility mode I set it to run in Vista mode and as an Administrator.
The program then eventually works. So what about the software itself? Well for FTM 2009 users there is not a great difference that I have spotted so far, a few minor tweaks, nothing worth upgrading for. The web view with ancestry does seem to have improved performance, exactly the same layout but seemingly improved speed and also does transfer media when merging records to FTM, on 2009 if you did not click the media tabs first it would not transfer the media just the record. Is it worth upgrading from 2009? So far I would say no, the changes are a minor improvement, if anything this should be a free upgrade such are the changes so minor but if you want a cheap subscription to ancestry then you might as well upgrade by buying it cheaply off Amazon as I did.
However the software installation problems smack to me of a rushed job, not fully beta tested simply to get another version out for 2010. My advice to Avanquest would be to concentrate on quality over quantity and only upgrade when there is significant change and functionality and only after full beta testing across all platforms.
Ashley
Note: To do a clean reboot:
Click Start > Run> msconfig.exe to start the System Configuration Utility.
On the General tab, click Selective Startup, and then click to clear the Load startup items check box.
On the Services tab, click to select the Hide all Microsoft services check box, and then click Disable all.
(this may delete previous restore point info settings, so proceed at own risk)
Click OK, and then click Restart.
Once finished installing, repeat procedure to reset normal startup.
