Family Tree Maker 2010 Essentials Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I have been conducting family research for some eight years, with the help of the Family Tree Maker program (and subscription [...].) I have purchased each new version at its release, always curious to see what had been added. While I have usually been pleased with the program features, I must admit that the last couple of versions have been disappointing to me. The interface had become more complicated and I missed being able to see a more complete screen of family detail.
The Family Tree Maker 2010 is, (IMHO) the finest version of the Family Tree Maker program to date. [...]
The installation is smooth and easy. No obstacles. I had the program up and running within minutes after receiving it.
The interface is the friendliest yet, and has even incorporated a special personal touch ... enhancing the individual name labels in family view with photos of the individuals. (I had not known that this was a new feature, so when I first opened my primary tree file, I was suddenly staring at familiar family faces instead of simply text ... What a warm feeling!) Of course, the photos must be available on your hard drive and associated to those files. Or, you can uncheck the "enhanced" feature if you wish (perhaps there are relatives you would rather not see).
The new interface is reminiscent of the more friendly versions of the past (somewhat like Version 16, I think) that we have missed (they listened to us!) and adds some amazing new features. The navigation is much simpler, more intuitive than recent versions. The program now denotes one's direct line of ascent/descent by a highlighted arrow designation that is most helpful when navigating through pages of generations. The toolbars are simple and clear with an emphasis on quick navigation to help in your workflow. Of course, the little green leaves are there again to prompt the user to check out the relevant information that is available at a mere click.
No more need to take notes or to check back and forth to look up a forgotten detail about an individual while searching for more information: There is now a layered box that contains all of the subject's entered data right there in view while you are engaged at the research/merge site.
Merging is a breeze! Recording sources is refreshingly simple. Click on "Places" on the toolbar, and you'll find all the lands and seas of the globe to help you in your research, interactive, (Bing Maps), and accompanied by user-friendly lists of your ancestry-related locations. (I, being geography-challenged, have especially enjoyed this feature.) No more Googling and printing of maps in the middle of researching. Love it!
I think that the best thing about the 2010 version of FTM is that it truly is a warm and friendly program ... making it a real pleasure to discover and record your family's history. The program is packed full of wonderful features. I believe that most genealogy enthusiasts will find that this is the best version ever of a tremendous program. With this program, they've put the fun back into family history research! Enjoy!
(BTW: This is the first review I've ever submitted - Because I really am genuinely impressed with this product ... enough to take the time to review it for other consumers. Furthermore, I am in no way affiliated with FTM or Ancestry.com or any of their employees.)


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Family Tree Maker makes it easy to discover your story, preserve your legacy and share your unique heritage as you explore your family tree on your personal computer. Family Tree Maker 2010 introduces even more rich storytelling and organization tools that can add new life to your family history.

Once you've started your tree, you can add photos, video, audio and more. You can also create and print a variety of interactive maps, timelines, charts and reports.Family Tree Maker 2010 also includes a subscription to Ancestry.com--the world's largest online collection of family history resources, featuring more than 4 billion historical records. Search for your ancestors and use what you discover on Ancestry.com in your tree.
Family Tree Maker 2010 lets you easily:
Organize your family story privately and conveniently on your personal computer.
Create charts and reports in a variety of formats to share with friends and family.
Discover new information anywhere on the web and add it to your tree instantly.
Integrate with the 4 billion names in historical records on Ancestry.com. Even receive hints linking you to matching records.
Incorporate photos, documents and audio, video and other files into your tree.
View timelines and interactive maps.

What's new in Family Tree maker 2010?
New tools and charts that help you tell a richer story
Better ways to organize photos and other media
Create slideshows from the images in your tree
Family books made from your tree
Standard source templates that help you reference the right information
A view of your relation to everyone in your tree
Extended family birthday calendars
Images scanned directly into your tree
Family migration paths over time
Easy family tree download from Ancestry.com

And don't forget the features you've come to rely on:
Dynamic user interface that lets you quickly switch between important features
The ability to import data from other genealogy programs, including Personal Ancestral File
Powerful sourcing tools that let you document AND rate each of your citations
Interactive maps and lists that give you a bird's-eye view of where members of your family come from
Place authority database of more than 3 million names that helps you standardize your place entries
Photo AND file management features so you can easily incorporate all types of media files into your charts and reports
Timelines that highlight personal, family and world events
Easy-to-use tools for merging duplicate individuals, calculating dates, creating to-do lists and more

How can you make the most of Ancestry.com?
Family Tree Maker 2010 comes with a subscription to Ancestry.com, the world's largest online collection of family history resources.
Your software works seamlessly with Ancestry.com so you can easily search for your ancestors and add the information you discover to your tree.
You could find missing facts about your family in census records, draft cards, passenger lists, image collections and other historical resources.

Use Ancestry.com and Family Tree Maker together. Get the most from both.
Search the extensive record collections at Ancestry.com without ever leaving your family tree. Quickly merge new records you find into your tree.
Take advantage of Ancestry Hints. Family Tree Maker automatically suggests records that may match people in your tree.
Share heirloom-quality books and attractive posters that you create with the self-publishing tool at Ancestry.com.

Your Family Tree Maker 2010 Essentials software includes: Interactive Training Tutorial for Family Tree Maker 2010 (included on Family Tree Maker disk)
Get step-by-step instructions and tips that will help you easily build and grow your family tree.

The Getting Started Guide to Family Tree Maker
Follow simple directions to begin a project and master the program's basic features

The Family Tree Maker Little Book of Answers
Read short sections that will tell you how Family Tree Maker can work best for you.

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