FAMILY TREE MAKER to be discontinued!

[davidft]

This is the earlier thread on this with lots of replies that may help you

http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=736762.msg5827409

Topics merged.

[diplodicus]

An earlier posted mentioned Avanquest. They are the distribtuors for FTM in Europe. I don't think they are directly connected to Ancestry but I could be wrong ... again

Wikipedia: "Avanquest Software is a business unit of Avanquest S.A., a French-based multinational, publicly traded corporation headquartered in La Garenne-Colombes, France. The company designs, develops, publishes and distributes a wide range of software applications for Microsoft Windows and Macintosh OS X operating systems and for iOS and Android mobile devices."

[jamxr]

I have just signed the ONLINE PETITION for Ancestry to continue supporting and updating FTM at
https://goo.gl/QS6AC0

David Eastman has also put the petition link on his Online Genealogy blog.
http://blog.eogn.com/2015/12/10/online-petition-stop-ancestry-from-retiring-family-tree-maker-software/

As Microsoft continue to update windows eventually the FTM program will not be compatible and become obsolete.  You will have to use Ancestry website.

[KGarrad]

Let's be realistic here!
That petition has now (as I write this) reached a magnificent total of 282 supporters!

Do you really think Ancestry will take notice of any petition, let alone this paltry effort?

What Ancestry is doing is to stop supporting, developing and selling FTM.
That does NOT mean it won't work!

After all, Microsoft no longer support Windows XP, and Windows Vista and support for Windows 7 will end on 12th January 2015!
But many people (millions?!) continue to use XP and Vista, and many millions more will continue to us W7.

I continue t use a fair bit of software that "is no longer supported" - but it still works!

[stonechat]

What I am really upset about is the loss of synchonised trees.
That was one of the best features.

I will not keep my up to date tree online only, meaning that the online tree will soon not be up to my latest research (Assuming I make more progress!   )

It was a USP that they are throwing away

[Gen List Lass]

Mezentia wrote:
There seems to be a concerted push by most major manufacturers to force everyone to use cloud-based services. I for one will resist. There have been far too many high profile leaks of personal information recently that only go to illustrate big companies inability to provide proper security for highly personal information. I'll be keeping my research on my local and well-secured PC.

My sentiments exactly!

Gen in NBL England

[groom]

What I am really upset about is the loss of synchonised trees.
That was one of the best features.

That is the main thing that I will miss. I tend to work on my tree on line as I find it easier, but I know at the moment that it will then synchronise with FTM. Unless I remember to do this manually in the future everytime I use one or the other,  I will soon have different trees.

[Millmoor]

There is a follow up blog on ancestry (if I knew how to provide a link I would!) It states again that we will be able to use software exactly as we do now for at least the next year. It also says that they are exploring possible relationships with other software solutions to integrate their products with ancestry and are exploring options to bring reports and related functionality from FTM onto the online service.

In the q and a section this part this part stood out for me " You will be able to access your data through your desktop software beyond Jan 1 2017,however over time there will be a gradual degradation of features. You can always export your tree and save it".

Personally I am not going to rush into changing to another package - I think given the general reaction that this one is going to run and run.

William

[Kimbrey]

We have been spoilt by having the ability to synchronise our on-line and off line trees { none of the other Genealogy Prorammes offer it} so we will have to go back to entering everything again time when we make a change to one or the other

I recently had a big problem when 2 of my trees  on line and off line would not sync-I phoned support and they talked me through what in the end was taking  GEDCOMs of the on line trees {which were the recently worked on} downloading them to the desktop and then deleting the original ones - I must admit to being extremly nervous but it worked so I assume it could be used if one got badly out of kilter at any time

Kim