how do you record your family tree?

[jnnelias]

Wondering what suggestions anyone has for recording their family tree?  Are the software packages any good?

J

[GrahamSimons]

I use Family Historian and it's done all I need for many years now, growing from a couple of hundred records to about 6000. It allows notes to be recorded and also links to photos and other files on the computer. It uses GEDCOM to store the data and this is compatible with most other programs. I don't think I could be anywhere near as effective a researcher without this program, or one of the competitors.
However it isn't all I use. In addition I have been saving documents and images and so on on disk, a few printed but I don't see the point of printing unless it's to share with someone or to annotate. When I go on a research trip I tend to write it up, as often I'll have discovered things and people that I can't yet link to the family tree, so I have a set of word-processed documents. All of these douments are indexed using an Excel spreadsheet - if I had my time again I think I might have gone for a database instead.
In addition to this, I have been writing a book of sorts. This includes some of the images from my files as well as small snippets from the family tree, perhaps covering a couple and their children and grandchildren. Family Historian will generate text reports which can act as the outline for my writing.

[bykerlads]

I started without really thinking about the amount of material I would eventually acquire.
I have 2 large notebooks, one for my side of family , one for OH's. Info from censuses, parish records BMd certs etc are recorded in it, by family surname, chronologically.
I then wrote the "story" of the history of each branch of the family, trying to link each element back to the present, explaining "who was who". I'm very aware that I know all the history but I need to make it clear to other readers how it all fits together.
I used Family Tree Maker to create a proper tree - far larger and wider in size than I would have ever imagined it could be!
I had copies of tree and Story( including copies of certs. census etc) printed and gave them to family members.
Since then I've found even more information and am re-writing the Story and adding to the Tree.
I feel that a tree alone is a bit inadequate, whereas a story/verbal account is more interesting but needs to be read in conjunction with a tree for reference.

[Flattybasher9]

I also use Family Tree Maker 2010. I have also just purchased the 2014 version which I have started to utilise, using copies of the 2010 version saved trees. This is just in case that something goes wrong with either. I have all trees backed up 3 individual times, 3 computers, plus external drives. (lost a hard drive once, and 2000 names.) Used specialist equipment to get the data back.

Learned the lesson.

Regards

Malky

[geno500]

I started my family history before computer software was available,as you are just starting out I would suggest you buy a cheap one on ebay  try and pick up Family Tree version 2 or 3 this software it will work up to Vista it is very easy to use unlike the later versions,you have already had a reply from somebody who uses Excel ,do you know how to use that I do not,the beauty of version 2 or 3 is that when you have put in what family history you have you can by picking the earliest person in your tree  get to see the whole tree you can move around the tree seeing the connections,Ancestry bought the company that made Family Tree ,I believe it is on version 12 now I tried version 10 it was awful,I am sure you will get many replies to your question,but pay £5 for a early version,and do not forget to back up to a USB thats as technical as I get.

[jc26red]

I have been using RootsMagic since first using FH software. I still use version 4 but the latest is version 6.  I found doing the upgrade from a previous version not much different so I haven't bothered buying another upgrade.  I only use the basic software as many of the extras I find I don't use. see the bottom of the page: http://www.rootsmagic.co.uk/index.php
You can always try a free trail run with most of the software available, it will have some of the features disabled but if you like it, you can then always buy the full copy and easily transfer or reopen in the full  package.

One other thing I find easy to do with RootsMagic is to add and adapt everything that comes as standard.  You can add events to suit your family records and for ease of use, i.e. I've added probate calendars, wills, newspapers... in a way that I can understand using it!  You can also add notes to each family, that is where I put family stories/legends/queries that I need to sort out or sometimes the juicy bits! 
 When printing out the tree you can adapt it and add backgrounds, photos, the line/box/font styling etc., add or remove people and events to suit.   I find printing out very time consuming though.
RM also has a free app for your tablet, and also comes with another piece of software called rootsmagic to go, so you can put it all on CD and send it to someone who doesn't need the basic software to view it!

But basically, like the others, you tend to stick to the software you get on with and gained experience with....  try a few free downloads from each of the makers and see which one you prefer first.
jc

[GrahamSimons]

I feel that a tree alone is a bit inadequate, whereas a story/verbal account is more interesting but needs to be read in conjunction with a tree for reference.

Agreed: the tree and the notes on it for each person is a good way to make progress, but I find that I want to add background - about the relevant historical events or places, or a description of how I made my discoveries, or perhaps of things that are less certain, and that's where a narative rather than a tree really comes into its own.

[jc26red]

I forgot to add, I also use excel to sort of parish entries I've gathered from the archives.  For example, one family was prolific in one parish so I took down all the names etc and entered them in excel. It is then easy to sort into family units  and see if you have made any errors.

I also use excel in a name study that I have been doing in based on my Irish links to that name.  Early on, records were hard to come by so I drew out rough trees on excel using the drawing tool and added notes to the people as I went along. moving the trees around is very easy in excel and it gives a good visual and errors or queries tend to pop out at you.  You can also use colours to help you define things as well.   As records have become available the trees have become a bit overloaded but still useful.

[jc26red]

I feel that a tree alone is a bit inadequate, whereas a story/verbal account is more interesting but needs to be read in conjunction with a tree for reference.

Agreed: the tree and the notes on it for each person is a good way to make progress, but I find that I want to add background - about the relevant historical events or places, or a description of how I made my discoveries, or perhaps of things that are less certain, and that's where a narative rather than a tree really comes into its own.

I totally agree with that statement and it does depend on each family. One of my families appeared to love writing their family story on every branch. One even went back to details of 1685 as a Huguenot fleeing France and another telling his story on his adventures in the Anglo/French wars in Canada, that was made into a book and a film was made based on his and other men's stories. I have 6 books and journals for that family alone and I wouldn't be able to do them justice by editing the stories/notes down. Other family lines didn't even know how to write let alone write a journal