Family Tree Software

[sitiv1]

Comparison

I have paf, family tree, and TMC (wholly genes) on my computer right now.
I am new as can be to all this, so I can just give my first impressions.
I looked at this forum, and bought the most popular, family tree.
A little exploring showed that paf was free, so I downloaded it.
I also found I could get a 30 day trial version of tmc for free.

First impressions, tmc's interface confuses me. This may be the sign of a powerful program, but the multiple windows make very simple things hard to do without reading instructions (heaven forbid). I produced some beautiful charts and reports with it very easily (after reading how to do it) from the GEDCOM I imported. I bet this software would be fine if you were used to it. There is a clear section for adding genetic information to your family file.

PAF is fast to open and easy to use. The chart and report producing functions seem to be limited compared to family tree or tmc, but are very good for the price. There is a companion program, which costs money (I have only looked at the free evaluation version). This program looks clean, powerful and easy to use for report writing. I plan to buy the full version of the add-on program.

Family Tree is the popularity winner on this site, and is a powerful program. On my computer it seems to be a little slower than paf and a little faster than tmc. It comes with easy report writing functions, and I produced some very pretty stuff very quickly (I have to prove to my family that I'm actually accomplishing something with all this time on the computer).

My conclusion is that I will continue to use paf and ft, but may uninstall tmc when its 30 days are up. All programs (paf with the added support software) will do amazing things. I plan to plug away at tmc while its still alive, and try to see if I can get to a point where I can easily do what I want to do.

Right now paf and ft are a tie as far as I'm concerned. I want both Either would do.

steve

[Stevo]

I'm liking PAF more and more the more I use it.

[sitiv1]

paf is in the lead

I'm liking paf better and better myself.
The one report that I haven't figured out how to do yet is a "timeline" where they space out historical events through a list of people's lifetimes. It's just eye candy, and it's probably in there somewhere (but it makes my family think I did a lot of work, so...). I unlocked the paf companion today. Technical support was fast, polite, and helpful with my dumb mistakes...
steve

[Stevo]

I'm liking paf better and better myself.
The one report that I haven't figured out how to do yet is a "timeline" where they space out historical events through a list of people's lifetimes. It's just eye candy, and it's probably in there somewhere (but it makes my family think I did a lot of work, so...). I unlocked the paf companion today. Technical support was fast, polite, and helpful with my dumb mistakes...
steve

I was just adding some more info to my paf last night. It really is an easy, fast, convenient program.

I may buy that companion program you mentioned and give it a whirl.

[sitiv1]

paf companion is pretty cheap

I held off getting it because I didn't want to break the budget, but it's just a little more than a couple of gallons of gas in San Jose...
steve

[Stevo]

I held off getting it because I didn't want to break the budget, but it's just a little more than a couple of gallons of gas in San Jose...
steve

Phew! That's expensive!

[sitiv1]

PAF still in the lead

While all of the basic programs will handle simple tasks of building GEDCOMs and the like, I continue to enjoy paf the most. It is inexpensive (free for the basic program), even with the add-on paf companion. I find myself getting bolder and bolder using it.
One of the things that I found in ftm and legacy, which is not in paf even with the paf companion, is the ability to produce sophisticated timelines. There is, however, addon timeline software available that will produce very nice timelines and timeline charts. Genelines seems to do all that I will ever need in this area. I've found timelines to be a good way to introduce ancestors to people today who don't have a particular interest in genealogy.

As an old Unix guy, I can see advantages in using a whole suite of programs to manipulate data rather than one, monolithic program. I suspect that with the proper add on programs and some time, paf will do al that I ever will need in a genealogy program. Even with addons, it is still cheaper than some of its competitors.
Have a good day, everyone!
steve

[roger.bryant]

I use Family Treemaker

I started with version 2 now upgraded to 5, I love the program....

[sitiv1]

Fickle Steve changes his mind

I realize that Family Tree Maker is the "default" choice for many people since it's been around for a long time, and many people are used to it. The main thing about any piece of software is the combination of power and ease of use. I've forced myself to get "over the hump" with ftm and I have started to use it with some sense of ease.
It still is slow to start, and occasionally does an autmated merge in a different way than I would expect.
I still find myself using paf, whenever I need to do something quick with my GEDCOM. paf lacks some of the features found in other programs, but it is easy for an inexperienced user like me.
I do have a new favorite though, RootsMagic. It feels fast and light like paf, but it seems to have some of the report writing and error checking power of some of the heavier programs. I used it's error checking features to remove several blunders that my overenthusiastic merging had created (Hmmn, this baby was born 30 years before her father; amazing what they were doing in the 1700s).
paf seems to be much weaker in its error checking; although maybe that's just my poor steering.
Anyway, if I could only keep 1, right now it would be RootsMagic.
Give it a look; there is a free trial version.
Good night and good luck,
steve

[Stevo]

Were you able to just transfer your PAF stuff into RootsMagic, or did you have to enter everything afresh?

I really like PAF, but I still haven't purchased the companion program or explored all its possibilities.

I need to get the newest version of FTM, too.

[sitiv1]

rootsmagic says it imports from paf

I would assume it does; it claims to do so.
I exported to GEDCOM from paf and then imported.
rootsmagic says that it imports from familytreemaker too.
steve

[sitiv1]

RootsMagic merges well

I did a bunch of merging of GEDCOMs last night. Once again, I was impressed with the transparent way RM worked. FTM automates many things, but leaves things that I have to clean up; PAF also does transparent merges, but doesn't give me as much flexablility on the merge.
steve

[Stevo]

I did a bunch of merging of GEDCOMs last night. Once again, I was impressed with the transparent way RM worked. FTM automates many things, but leaves things that I have to clean up; PAF also does transparent merges, but doesn't give me as much flexablility on the merge.
steve

Where've you been lately, Steve?

[DimpleLou]

Legacy Software

Now that I have voted, I want to tell you how great I think this software is. I will start first by saying that I have went through my share of family tree software, starting out with Family Tree Maker Version 1 - 3, which never fulfilled what I wanted a database to do. I tried PAF, Generations, and ect. It wasn't until I downloaded Legacy that I found a software with the power that I was looking for.

The first thing that caught my attention was that the standard version is "FREE" not limited to a length of time that you and ues it, not limited to how many names that you can store, no restrictions on the free version at all, just a few options you can't use, one is that you can't create .pdf files of reports and so forth from inside the program, another is a secondary index that I find very nice. Also with the free version you can add any updates to the program that they might release "FREE". It execpts any gedcom file with a little minor cleanup once imported.

Should you descide to pay for the deluxe version it only 29.95 for a download only. I personaly have never found a need to order a CD and Users Guide. I have been able to find out anything I wanted to know from the built-in Help or from the Legacy website

I have still tried some other software since I started using Legacy, but have found nothing to compare with the power and easy interface.

This is just my personal opinion, if you are looking to try a new software check it out. You can't lose it's "FREE".

[efgen]

Ancestry adding DNA info to genealogy program?

Just saw this poll on Ancestry.com (of course I voted "I'm interested!"):

What Do You Think?
How interested would you be in storing DNA information in your desktop genealogy program?

Results

5% I am already doing it
52% I am very interested - (Your vote)
25% I may be interested in the future
17% I'm not interested at all

175 total votes