The answer depends on what you want to do and what type of computer you have. The most popular software for Windows is Family Tree Maker, which costs about $40. For that you get an easy interface to work with and the ability to both design reports and, if you wish, everything you need to prepare a book of your family tree. If all you are concerned about is keeping track of the tree, any of the softwares that were mentioned are good. Free software, however, is not necessarily the best for tracking such things as sources and media (document files, pictures, videos, and the like) of your family. If you have a Mac, Reunion is the best available software for that operating system. One other advantage of Family Tree Maker is that, since it is now distributed by Ancestry, it gives you the capability to download documents directly from your Ancestry.com account into the hard drive, allowing you to attach those document files to the individuals they apply to. This will make your filing chores easier. I have no financial interest in any software or company. I have used FTM since 1994 to keep track of my extended tree. Chuck Weinstein Deer Park, NY cmw521@earthlink.net

Thank you to everyone who responded about the software. I'll have to check them out. I unfortunately, upgraded to FTM 2009 and can not view Sept names when doing a search. I'm still on Windows XP but hear exactly what Jay said all the time. Kristey Harrington, Caobach. ----- Original Message ----- From: Jay Richards<mailto:jay2@jrichards.com> To: beara@rootsweb.com<mailto:beara@rootsweb.com> Sent: Sunday, October 25, 2009 11:03 AM Subject: Re: [BEARA] Family Tree Software Hi All: I have used FTM for over ten years; since their beginning. I found that their software quality continue to drop over my experience period. I have stopped using PC / Windows because of who owes then now and the bad software quality levels provided. Look at VISTA, what a disappointment, now it is gone! At this time there is only one solution to this problem; "bite the dust" and buy an apple MAC /Intel. and pay the increase cost. It is worth every cent of it. Everything works better then I have ever experienced with the PC / Microsoft. With my MAC / Intel, Apple does all their own updates, they ask if they can do a update then I say YES and sit back and let them do all the process to accomplish it. First, the software is written by Apple and it is excellent. It is a total UNIX operating system; not like Microsoft 7 which is only is a sub-set of the full UNIX. Apple is having increase revenue at this time and Microsoft is decreasing financially. Wall Street is talking about when is the Microsoft CEO going to be replace because of his poor performance since taking over from Bill Gates! I did an export of my database from FTM and reloaded it into the MAC system using Tiger operating system by doing an IMPORT of my database file into the Reunion software package . I used a CD-ROM for transferring the database file between the PC ( in the PC own format ) and the MAC read it correctly without any problems. Everything moved over excellently with NO problem. To qualify my knowledge, let me mention that I founded and managed the major micro-software service company in the upper midwest for seven years and kept Geek Squad being only a tiny little company. Until a similar recession to our current one, forced the company to do a total-payoff of my rotating credit-line within 24 hours forcing me out of business while having a five hundred thousand dollar contract beginning in 60 days. I have been in the computer system field for over fifty years and having recommended over fifteen thousand micro system to businesses. I would not use any free software for genealogy. There is NO assurance that the company will continue being in business, particularly during this recession. There is always a chance of them not maintaining the software package for free! Jay Richards Jay2@Jrichards.com<mailto:Jay2@Jrichards.com> On Oct 25, 2009, at 9:32 AM, Sally Bair wrote: > I loved FTM as program to do family trees. But I have a Mac, & I was > absolutely disheartened & discouraged & outraged when FTM stopped > making it for the Mac when the Mac upgraded to its latest computer > chip & OS. I have lost ALL my carefully documented family information > & have not felt like going back over 5 years of paper work to redo it. > > Sally > > > Sally O'Sullivan Bair > Secretary General > International Federation of Sleddog Sports (IFSS) > 8554 Gateway Circle > Monticello, MN 55362 USA > Tel: +763 295 5465 > Fax: +763 295 3290 > Email: sbair@tds.net<mailto:sbair@tds.net> > > > > > On Oct 24, 2009, at 10:57 PM, Chuck Weinstein wrote: > >> The answer depends on what you want to do and what type of computer >> you >> have. The most popular software for Windows is Family Tree Maker, >> which >> costs about $40. For that you get an easy interface to work with >> and the >> ability to both design reports and, if you wish, everything you >> need to >> prepare a book of your family tree. If all you are concerned about >> is >> keeping track of the tree, any of the softwares that were mentioned >> are >> good. Free software, however, is not necessarily the best for >> tracking such >> things as sources and media (document files, pictures, videos, and >> the like) >> of your family. If you have a Mac, Reunion is the best available >> software >> for that operating system. >> >> One other advantage of Family Tree Maker is that, since it is now >> distributed by Ancestry, it gives you the capability to download >> documents >> directly from your Ancestry.com account into the hard drive, >> allowing you to >> attach those document files to the individuals they apply to. This >> will >> make your filing chores easier. >> >> I have no financial interest in any software or company. I have >> used FTM >> since 1994 to keep track of my extended tree. >> >> Chuck Weinstein >> Deer Park, NY >> cmw521@earthlink.net<mailto:cmw521@earthlink.net> >> >> >> ------------------------------- >> To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to BEARA- >> request@rootsweb.com<mailto:request@rootsweb.com> with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes >> in the subject and the body of the message > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to BEARA-request@rootsweb.com<mailto:BEARA-request@rootsweb.com> > with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and > the body of the message Jay Richards jay2@jrichards.com<mailto:jay2@jrichards.com> ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to BEARA-request@rootsweb.com<mailto:BEARA-request@rootsweb.com> with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message