Dave C wrote: > > "Harrison Genealogy"<[email protected]> wrote in message > news:[email protected] >> Dave >> >> I use a number of Progs myself. >> >> My main one is Legacy 7.5, I also use RootsMagic 4 FTM 2010 and Family >> Historian 4. >> >> Rootsmagic is very good at searching your data and it will import from >> various file formats incl Legacy without using a GEDCOM, so you don't get >> any "missed" or unknown fields being reported. Also It has a programme >> with >> it called RootsMagic to Go which allows you to keep the Prog and your data >> on a memory stick and use it with any Computer. >> >> Family Historian on the other hand uses GEDCOM files as its file format >> and >> will import with no problem. It used to have a quite different layout but >> now has a more usual family one (ie Husband/Wife with children underneath >> and Parents above) >> >> I tend to use Legacy purely because I have quite a few of the "add on"s >> for >> it (ie Genelines) and I've used it for a number of years and got used to >> it. >> >> If I was starting again I think I would definitely use RootsMagic ....... >> >> Regards >> >> Bill >> > Thanks for the response Bill. It is difficult to decide even between the > more common possibilities with only the advertised features to go on. Actual > user experience is so much more valuable. As a rule of thumb (and yes, some thumbs are shorter than others), if the box/ad doesn't specifically SAY it does x, y, or z, better assume it doesn't do it. (Possible exceptions would include the box not specifying you can SAVE or SAVE_As, but if it doesn't SAY you can import/export via GEDCOM, you can't; if it doesn't SAY you can color-code the data, you can't but even if it does say so, you may not be able to color-code the data you want color-coded). I've used PAF, Legacy, Roots/UFT, FTM, TFE, RM/FO, and others. Each had/has a feature the others lack. The "legacy" software from DOS-days I keep functional on an old computer; some of the newer ones I use at my FHC. If I were limited to /just/ one, it would be PAF because I'm used to it and it does a magnificent job of storing my factual data. I'll have to move to something else one day, because LDS is not developing it further and one day in the not-far-distant future it will quit running on new computers. At that time, I'll probably go to Ancestral Quest as it's what PAF3 et seq are based on. FWIW. Opinions of others will vary wildly. (g) Cheryl