Family Tree Maker - Which Edition?

I have decided it is about time I bought some family history software
[most of my details are in a combination of MS Word & Excel documents
and a host of downloaded images]. I also currently subscribe to
Ancestry.co.uk. From the blurb I have read Family Tree Maker is meant
to "seamlessly" work with Ancestry.co.uk. However, there seem to

Jill...

Being nosy :~) -- how does this work?

Hugh Watkins...

too well
unless you know what you are doing

in family view
there is a button at the bottom left corner of the husband and of the
wife fields

Hugh Watkins...

register now

Why Register?

• Unlock Family Tree Maker's new search capability

• Receive discounts on future versions of Family Tree Maker

• Search 300 million names on for FREE

Martin Brown...

I have FTM2005 (with ~6 data CDs) and it seems to work fairly well.
Better than other things I tried. The free data CDs were less than
thrilling. But then I may have been unlucky about where my relatives
lived. I started out with a much older version of FTM that came free on
the front of some magazine or other. It s worht trying out a few of the
free versions to see which one you like the best.

be a variety of editions to choose from. Can anyone recommend any one
edition over another? My primary considerations will be about the
production of the results, charts, potted histories etc to pass on to
non-computer literate family members.

Lesley Robertson...

Assuming they all contain the same version, the different editions only vary
in the number of additional data cds, etc, that they include. You need to
look very carefully at what's on the additional discs and if there's nothing
of obvious interest, just buy the no-frills box that only has the programme.
Mind you, when I bought ver 2005, S&N were doing a UK-targetted deal with
some rather nice data cds (not those collections of patron-submitted trees),
It's also worth considering buying a slightly old edition (eg I'm still
using FTM2005 as I couldn't see much of interest to me in the upgrade) as
they're often being discounted to get rid of them.
Lesley Robertson

Hugh Watkins...

if you use Control s
add source

FTM 16 has better handing of source reference data
a slight improvement of the interface from FTM 2006
(discussed on the rootsweb notice board for Family Tree maker)

Hugh W

Hugh Watkins...

get the single cd flat pack FTM 2006 about half price (on ebay?) with
free online update to FTM 16

If you want the latest charting add ons get the FTM 16 single cd edition

do NOT get versions with "how to" books or videos

all you need is in the help menu or on line
If you get stuck ask here or on the Rootsweb board

do NOT get boxed set with CDs

all those trees are now also fully searchable on line with the ancestry
world tree and one world tree databases

and rootsweb world connect which I use myself

Hugh W

Martin Brown...

It will do those things fine, although you won't benefit from the free
trial of Ancestry if you are already a fully subscribed member. Be
interesting to hear what alternatives others can recommend.

The main issue I have with FTM is that it can be a bit clumsy swapping
from a tree view to a family view at times. Also some of the reports
have strange pretty print formatting. And my wife has managed to create
accidentally a couple of individuals that are visible on the screen but
never print out in any of the reports or GEDCOM files. I think it is
something to do with renaming and multiple spouses, but have never
found a cure.

Martin Brown

Yours aye

stood...

There's a free version to get you started available here:

StephenP...

Many thanks for that. A chance to dip ones toe in the water as it
were.

StephenP...

Many thanks for that. A chance to dip one's toe in the water as it
were.