I think it is rare to find any genealogy program sold in a brick and mortar store these days.  When I've seen them it's always FTM, which is usually more expensive than other more powerful programs. When people ask me what program I'd recommend, I suggest they try out several (most have free trial versions) and decide which one they like best. My experience is that choosing a program is a highly individualized decision: what you like, I might hate and vice versa.  For example, Ann's reasons for disliking Legacy ("I don't like the way you input data nor do I like the way the data is presented") are among my top reasons for preferring it. I detest FTM for a variety of reasons. Currently, my primary program is RootsMagic, but I would go back to Legacy in a heartbeat if they ever add the equivalent of RM's Research Notes report. There are many programs from which to choose, although FTM, RootsMagic, Legacy, and TMG are probably among the most frequently used on Windows systems. I think Brother's Keeper should get more press than it does. While I've seen online articles that attempt to compare and contrast a long list of competing programs, I haven't found any that I consider complete or accurate. Randy Seaver's Genea-Musings blog has a series of periodic posts describing how to complete various tasks in FamilyTreeMaker, Rootsmagic, and Legacy, complete with screen shots. They may be too detailed for the casual beginner, but for more serious students of genealogy who have narrowed their search to those three programs, I would recommend checking out his articles. Connie Sheets Phoenix

Connie, You suggest what I suggest when asked which program is the best. I would add that I tell people to ask others which program they use and why the like it. I also suggest that they ask what they do not like about the program. Although we may like a program, I think many of us do have something that we would change if we could. Chuck Mason -----Original Message----- From: transitional-genealogists-forum-bounces@rootsweb.com [mailto:transitional-genealogists-forum-bounces@rootsweb.com] On Behalf Of Connie Sheets Sent: Saturday, November 03, 2012 8:28 PM To: TRANSITIONAL-GENEALOGISTS-FORUM@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [TGF] Genealogy Software I think it is rare to find any genealogy program sold in a brick and mortar store these days.  When I've seen them it's always FTM, which is usually more expensive than other more powerful programs. When people ask me what program I'd recommend, I suggest they try out several (most have free trial versions) and decide which one they like best. My experience is that choosing a program is a highly individualized decision: what you like, I might hate and vice versa.  For example, Ann's reasons for disliking Legacy ("I don't like the way you input data nor do I like the way the data is presented") are among my top reasons for preferring it. I detest FTM for a variety of reasons. Currently, my primary program is RootsMagic, but I would go back to Legacy in a heartbeat if they ever add the equivalent of RM's Research Notes report. There are many programs from which to choose, although FTM, RootsMagic, Legacy, and TMG are probably among the most frequently used on Windows systems. I think Brother's Keeper should get more press than it does. While I've seen online articles that attempt to compare and contrast a long list of competing programs, I haven't found any that I consider complete or accurate. Randy Seaver's Genea-Musings blog has a series of periodic posts describing how to complete various tasks in FamilyTreeMaker, Rootsmagic, and Legacy, complete with screen shots. They may be too detailed for the casual beginner, but for more serious students of genealogy who have narrowed their search to those three programs, I would recommend checking out his articles. Connie Sheets Phoenix The Transitional Genealogists List was created to provide a supportive environment for genealogists to learn best practices as they transition to professional level work. Please respect the kind intentions of this list. ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to TRANSITIONAL-GENEALOGISTS-FORUM-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message