Family Tree Software

[MMaddi]

Can we go anywhere on this web site without getting all of these advertisements for their competitors ?
I logged on that website and all of their results are hidden (our family). Just one big secret after another.
Why don’t you learn some manners, partner? d

Calm down, Darroll. SMGF is not a competitor to FTDNA. It's a research foundation that gets DNA samples plus a four generation family tree from genealogists. You don't pay anything to submit your sample for testing, but they also don't give you any results directly. To repeat, they are a research foundation and don't care at all about getting people's money or giving them DNA test results. They just want to get DNA samples, along with family trees, for their research into mutation rates, autosomal DNA, etc.

The results they do get from your DNA sample take over a year to show up on their website. Since you don't get your results directly from them, you have to go through a tortuous trial and error process to find out the results for each marker. (You yourself wrote, "all of their results are hidden.") For each marker, you make a guess, based on your haplogroup or whatever, at what STR count they got for you. If your guess was right, it will be a match, including your family tree. If your guess was wrong, guess another STR count for that marker, until you get it right. Imagine how long this takes to get 43 markers, which is what SMGF tests, right! If you don't already have marker results from FTDNA, it could take you 2 or 3 hours to get all your marker results by this trial and error process.

So, do you still think that SMGF is a "competitor" of FTDNA? I can't see how it is. But it is a good database to do lookups for similar haplotypes to your own, to see geographical areas where your deep ancestry may be. This is because they have much better coverage of areas outside the British Isles. One problem with the FTDNA database is that it's heavily skewed toward British Isles ancestry. This may not mean much to you, but for someone whose ancestry is not in the British Isles, it is an important point.

[Bud Rogers]

Can we go anywhere on this web site without getting all of these advertisements for their competitors ?
I logged on that website and all of their results are hidden (our family). Just one big secret after another.
Why don’t you learn some manners, partner? d

Whoa, there. I'm not advertising for anybody. The previous poster suggested that it might be useful to collect DNA information, match it with genealogical paper trail information, and create one big family tree database. I just pointed out that that's what the Sorenson database aims to do, according to the mission statement on their website. Seems to me you're the one who needs some manners.

[darroll]

Whoa, there. I'm not advertising for anybody. The previous poster suggested that it might be useful to collect DNA information, match it with genealogical paper trail information, and create one big family tree database. I just pointed out that that's what the Sorenson database aims to do, according to the mission statement on their website. Seems to me you're the one who needs some manners.

********************************************
Oh: Please, thank you. Now I have manners.

This is FTDNA’s web site. For years people have been advertising the other DNA testing facilities, here. This is like (since I do not think you get it) getting on a Ford web site and advertising Chevy.
I ONLY use this site because.
I have quit doing genealogy because of the rude people that hang out on the Big genealogy sites and you know who they are.
I had the families DNA tested and posted it on Y-Search. Someone had a perfect 11 point match and they posted theirs on smgf (this also gave me a religious message). They made sure it was hidden and changed DNA testing results to a one way street. You give, I take kind of thinking/behavior. Two can play that game and now we are playing hide and seek with our advanced DNA test results also
What goes around, comes around.
I also know that there is a group out there that wants’ all genealogy/DNA to be controlled by one company. If/when this happens, I will take up stacking bb’s.
This large company has ruined genealogy and now they are trying to ruin DNA. Then they wonder why their members DNA does not match and came up with 500 excuses why, they don’t mention “bad paper trail”.

Our Y-DNA is a 100% match.

[Jim Barrett]

Am I in the wrong place?

I thought this topic was a poll for Family Tree Software. As far as I know Family Tree DNA does not sell software and I don't believe SMFG does.

Could we please get back on topic?

[Dorisw]

Favorite software

The Master Genealogist -- hands down!

Doris

[fmoakes]

The Master Genealogist -- hands down!

Doris

Thanks for getting this thread back on topic. Your response is just what was requested for the poll. Could you share the features of The Master Genealogist that you found more useful than others you have seen/used?
Floyd

[Stevo]

I recently got Family Tree Maker 2008.

I like it.

Wish it had a special place for dna info, though, other than just in the notes.

[Sw33tdecent]

I am currently using genibase.com, it is good site to use. I have about 4 generations on both my mother's and father's side of the family. This is what made me get a DNA test done. I want to prove or disprove some of the family stories.

[William23]

Family Tree DNA is starting this thread to have you vote for the Family Tree Software of your choice. If you use one that is not listed in this poll, please let me know and I'll be happy to add.

MacFamilyTree. It is Macintosh only, but then again so am I so it works out fine.

[GhostX]

I use GenoPro. it's not on your list.

[spideydouble]

GRAMPS 3.0.0 is pretty good and it is free.

I have also been using geni.com with over 1,000 other family members. I see it as more of a social networking site for families than genealogy software, but you could use it for that I guess. We have people on there from all over the world and some of them don't even speak English. They have been diligently adding to the tree though and many of them use it as their primary form of contact with the rest of the family now - even over email. Those email SPAM forwards have pretty much gone away ever since. I guess they don't feel the need to send that junk anymore when they can have legitimate contact with the rest of the family.

Now I just have to get them on the DNA genealogy bandwagon. Their main hold-up is the expense, but costs are coming down and soon that excuse will be eliminated.

[BrendaP]

Family Tree DNA is starting this thread to have you vote for the Family Tree Software of your choice. If you use one that is not listed in this poll, please let me know and I'll be happy to add.

I use GEDitCOM for Mac

Brenda

[Krumlov]

Family Historian?

I just came across this program when looking around for a new sowftare package. I have downloaded the free trial and particularly like the way you can mask off areas of a photo for linking to individuals (eg. there is a school photo, you can mask off just your relative and then view either the person or the whole photo with a click).

However, I am still struggling to decide whether it is overall that good. The majority seem to use Family Tree Maker (and I note that the 2008 edition has not been getting very good reviews).

So my questions are does anyone use Family Historian? If so, what do you like about it? Have you used anything else and why is it better? If you are using these other programs then why do you think they are the best to use?

Thanks!

[Bud Rogers]

Gramps for Linux

I'm an absolute novice at genealogy, so take my recommendation for what it's worth.

I use Gramps. It works well in Linux, at least for the things I've tried to do so far. I understand it also works in Windows. It is written in the python scripting language and can be extended and modified for those who are into such things.

Wikipedia page about Gramps

Gramps home page

[Derby74]

I started out using Family Origins until they changed over to Family Tree Maker.
Sometimes simpler is better!!