newbie needs advice on which computer program to use

Hi there!

I have only just started to do some research into my ancestry. So far I am
enjoying myself, but would like to wait a while before buying a full-fledged
genealogy computer program.

CWatters...

PAF from

under products/downloads

Could you recommend a freeware program to start with? It would be nice if
later, if I want to move to something more sophisticated, I could use the
data in that program, too.

Thanks in advance for your recommendations!

Charani...

I use Legacy and found the free program did everything I wanted. I've
since upgraded to the paid for version but that was my choice. It
isn't a necessity, nor do you get "nag screens" to buy the upgrade
either.

Christopher's given you the URL for Legacy already.

Colin and WsW have given you other programs. The best advise is to
try all of them to see which you like best because what suits one
person, doesn't suit another.

jj206...

When you finally want to buy a program check out these two places.

1. Library book sales.... they sometimes sell software.

2. Costco ... as I think they have the cheapest prices.

Michael C. Vergallen...

I would recommend any program that can export it's data to a gedcom file
because that's the data structure that all commercial programs can import.

Nigel Bufton...

If you plan to have images as part of your database, that means keeping
clear of Family Tree Maker and FZip which do not export media tags to
GEDCOM files.

All of the following do export media data tags correctly: Aldfaer, Brother's

Nutty...

Nutty...

the

Keeper, Family Historian, Genbox, Legacy, Personal Ancestral File (PAF),
phpGedView, RootsMagic, The Master Genealogist.

Nigel
"The Complete Genealogy Reporter"

Lesley Robertson...

I see that you already have several suggestions, and can't improve on them
so I'll just say that whichever one you choose, as long as it can generate
gedcoms (and Legacy, FTM and PAF all can), you will be able to transfer your
data to another programme if you decide to move to something else. Gedcoms
are the genealogy equivalent of a common language which all decent genealogy
programmes can read.
Lesley Robertson

Christopher Jahn...

Legacy is great, and the free version lacks only a few features
that are not needed by the novice user.