FAMILY TREE MAKER to be discontinued!

[mezentia]

There's plenty of time to look at alternatives to FTM, it isn't going to stop working overnight, so there's no need to get all het up because of Ancestry's announcement . Family Historian are ofering a discount to FTM users until the end of January next year, and the companion program Ancestral Sources is free. Other software companies have similar deals - I think RootsMagic is one. I'd urge people to think twice about cancelling their subscription as Ancestry has datasets that others don't, so you'll only be losing out if you do.

It has been hinted in a reply to the blog on Ancestry that they may consider working with other software suppliers to restore some of the functionality lost when FTM finally bites the dust. Family Historian on their web page (in very small print though  ) indicate they are quite willing to set up links to Ancestry if Ancestry want to, so we can only assume that other software companies will work hard to fill the gap left by FTM. From what I can gather, Ancestry have been taken aback quite a bit by the strength of the reaction to their notice, so will possibly be quite amenable to approaches from other companies for collaboration.

I'm only an FH user, by the way, and have no connection with the company. But I did move to it from FTM years ago 

[mike175]

... and I must admit - this is probably the last thing you should be worrying about. Microsoft have already stated this is the last version of Windows they will be releasing - do you honestly think they are going to continue to keep this up to date every 3 months (as they currently state) for free? No, it will become a subscription service. Just remember here with the public version of Windows 10 you cannot stop or control Windows updates.... so if in the future you do not want to pay the subscription, you may get an update that stops you being able to use it - it is the way these things are going.

I did some research when I was testing the pre-release Windows 10 and it seemed to me that Microsoft promised support for the 'free' Windows 10 upgrade only for the life of the device it was installed on.

There were plenty of stories going around, saying that future versions would be subscription only, on the lines of Office 365. If the trend continues we'll find our devices are eventually just terminals attached to their systems so they can control what we are allowed to do. Room 101 may be just round the next corner . . . 

Or we can all switch to Open Source systems 

Mike.

[bugbear]

This is a DISASTER.

I have bought many copies of FTM.

But only to get cheap subs to Ancestry.co.uk. 

I install it on a virtual Windows PC, connect it up to ancestry.co.uk to get the sub to activate, then delete it.

I keep my Database, on Linux, Using Gramps. The data is mine, and my backups are extensive.

I sometimes update my tree on Ancestry via an uploaded GEDCOM. I do this to
allow other researches to find and contact me (they're probably relations, of course).

Having a tree on Ancestry.co.uk also allows easier keying of searches.

My data in the cloud, reliant on a subscription, or someone else's infrastructure?

Not happening.

 BugBear

[groom]

I have bought many copies of FTM.
But only to get cheap subs to Ancestry.co.uk.

I think that's what a lot of people did as it was usually a bargain.

[a chesters]

My data in the cloud, reliant on a subscription, or someone else's infrastructure?

Not happening.

 BugBear

And who knows how long the company running "the cloud" will stay in business. What happens to the information, of yours, if they go bust? Will someone else take over, and honour the existing contracts, or will they simply wipe the servers to start a new business "in the cloud".

Not for this ex-technician

[spices]

My data in the cloud, reliant on a subscription, or someone else's infrastructure?

Not happening.

 BugBear

And who knows how long the company running "the cloud" will stay in business. What happens to the information, of yours, if they go bust? Will someone else take over, and honour the existing contracts, or will they simply wipe the servers to start a new business "in the cloud".

Not for this ex-technician

Back to pen & paper & rooms full of folders 

[KGarrad]

Better yet - keep your data in more than 1 place!

I have a copy on my PC.
Another copy on my laptop ((Vista).
A working copy on Ancestry.
And an older copy on GenesReunited.
And I have a backup external hard-drive!!

They can't all fail?!

[a chesters]

So long as we don't get another Carrington effect

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_storm_of_1859

Pen & paper for final backup.

[AnneMc]

I never gave up using my binders and paper kept them as my backup.. Years ago on a trip to the Family history library in Salt Lake, My friend and I asked what was the best way to keep everything and they said good old fashion paper. 

So Have a bookcase full of binders..


Cheers
Anne