Family Tree Maker Version 16 Essentials Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)(updated 09/20/2008)
I am an experienced family researcher and currently have just under 25,000 names in my database. I have been a Family Tree Maker (FTM) user since 1998 and have purchased every upgrade since that time. I administer two surname DNA projects and routinely help others with their family research.
*FTM v16 is currently, without question, my genealogy software of choice
Like many others in the faithful legions of FTM users, I routinely ordered FTM 2008 before it even came out on blind fath that each new version had been even better than before. Like so many other FTM 2008 users, I was truly shocked to find they had dropped approximately 39 core functions from the previous version, FTM v16, and found that I could no longer do many of the very basic reports that experienced researchers do so often. I quickly returned my copy of FTM 2008 in total disgust and went back to FTM v16 which now continues to fully meet my many needs. Not learning my lesson, I recently installed the new FTM 2009 on blind faith that surely, given a "do-over", they would restore the full functionality of FTM v16, and it's predecessor FTM 2006. They didn't.
*I heartily recommend FTM v16 as your "go back" version for anyone who ordered FTM 2008 or FTM 2009, returned either version in total disgust, and are now looking for a fully-featured version of Family Tree Maker. (Some users had "upgraded" directly from FTM 2005 to FTM 2008, for example, and had missed the fully-featured FTM v16 version in the process)
*I also believe that FTM v16 compares very favorably with RootsMagic, Legacy, and other comparable genealogy softwares.
* If you are a Vista user, all you need to do is download a patch from FTM to make FTM v16 fully "Vista compatible."
*I also strongly recommend FTM v16 to novice researchers who are purchasing genealogy software for the very first time. It is very intuitive, starts you out very gently in a guided fashion, but then also has the more sophisticated functions you will find very useful as your experience grows.
There are more sophisticated softwares out there, but in some cases, their learning curves are just not worth the trouble. I want a software that works for me, rather than me having the feeling I am instead working for the software.
*Bottom line, I was loyal to FTM v16 before "upgrading" to FTM 2008 and then trying again with FTM 2009, and now that I have returned back to FTM v16, I truly appreciate it's simple, clean, reliable, straightforward performance even more than ever before.
*Without hesitation, I fully recommend FTM v16 to family researchers of all experience levels.
CHT in Virginia

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Family Tree Maker Essentials Edition v16 is the #1 bestselling resource to create your family tree. It takes just three steps. First, use information you already know. With access to over 5 billion records, you'll be able to find all the details. Next organize and design your family tree. Import photos and documents to professionally designed templates to create a unique keepsake. Share your findings with family and friends. Print out professional quality family albums. Enjoy bonuses ($150 Value) with an Ancestry.com Subscription, a 30 Minute Genealogy Consultation, the Monthly NewsletterAnd more!

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Generations Family Tree Review

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(More customer reviews)This is a good product. It is very simple and easy to use. It is very good if you want to make a simple record of your family's history. You can add pictures to the charts and even add borders and colors to the text. Though sometimes it is annoying to have to get your own pictures because there is no clip art, on the whole, it is a great product.

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Family Tree Maker 2008 Essentials Review

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(More customer reviews)Any run-of-the-mill genealogy software should be able to do at least the basic reports family researchers and professional genealogists use to some degree during almost every major session:
*register reports (descendant-ordered reports - "all descendants of")
*ahnentafel reports (ancestor-ordered reports - "your ascending line"')
Family Tree Maker 2008 has now dropped these core reports they had supported throughout the past 16 versions of their software. The usefulness of the other core reports FTM 2008 still does provide, such as pedigree and descendancy charts, is significantly chilled by the near total removal of user options in designing what data elements to include in these remaining reports. Many other key features which longtime FTM users have enjoyed have also fallen by the wayside.
*Instead, FTM 2008 offers a lot of new fluff charts and reports, some of which are interesting for occasional analytical use, and some I don't even see a real-world practical use for.
Another major show-stopper for me was that FTM 2008 has dropped the popular feature that allowed the user to produce "family books" on their own home computer, but now instead requires that such information first be uploaded to the parent company (Ancestry) with the option of then (for an additional design fee) eventually downloading and printing it out either on your own printer or through their professional press. In either case, you must first execute a waiver essentially allowing Ancestry to use your research information as they see fit. Many users may find these requirements as highly objectionable.
*Regardless, with the loss of the key reports mentioned above, I am not sure how much is left to put in a "family book" even if you could still produce one on your home computer.
*Also, all of your family books produced with previous FTM versions will now be lost.
* As for all those expensive CDs you have accumulated over the years, FTM 2008 will no longer read any CDs.
The final show-stopper for me was exceptionally poor performance:
*My copy of FTM 2008 crashed about every 8 minutes or so, requiring a cold boot to get started again. Slow install, slow loading, slow running -- a perfect trifecta of poor performance.
*Even more importantly, and truly the "last straw," was I could never get a clean upload of data from my previous version of FTM v16 to FTM 2008. Data would often be corrupted, or even missing altogether. A very large number of users have reported this same problem. I also noticed that if I did successfully do any work in FTM 2008, I could never be sure I could export it back out to a previous version so that I could do the basic reports and such which are missing in FTM 2008.
With regard to the radical new look of FTM 2008, the gee-whiz cluttered and complex new screen displays could be construed by some as a mark of sophistication or power computing, but this is all only a hollow shell if this genealogy software won't even do the most basic register and ahnentafel genealogy reports many experienced researchers use so often.
*To be able to then effectively summarize your family research for yourself and others is the true end game of doing family research in the first place.
I view this release not as an upgrade to a new and improved FTM, but instead a very sad downward departure from the core functions FTM had consistently done so very well over the previous 16 releases. I have been an FTM user since 1998.
*Video-gamers will love this new software, but many experienced researchers will find many major disappointments.
I was so deeply disappointed that I uninstalled FTM 2008 so I could go back to FTM version 16 and once again be able to do basic genealogy reports summarizing my ongoing research.
That is why I buy genealogy software in the first place.
CHT in Virginia

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Discover how easy it is to explore and preserve your family history. The Family Tree Maker 2008 Essentials Edition is designed to help beginners find results fast.Windows XP (Home and Pro) SP2/Vista, Pentium II 500 MHz processor or equivalent (recommended Pentium III 1 GHz or equivalent), 256 MB RAM (512 MB RAM recommended), 400 MB free hard-disk space (additional space required for data files), 2X CD-ROM drive or faster & DVD-ROM drive for bonus content [recommended 32X CD/CD-R (CD-R required for the Backup to CD Feature)], Monitor with 800 x 600 resolution (recommended Monitor with 1024 x 768 resolution), Keyboard and mouse, Note: ALL online features require internet access. Administrator privileges are required to properly install the program on Windows XP and Windows Vista. User is responsible for internet service provider account, all internet access fees, and phone charges.

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Family Tree Maker 2009 Essentials Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
The faithful legions of Family Tree Maker users will find FTM 2009 to be a major improvement over their previous 2008 release and will welcome the improved operating performance and a number of the new search and sourcing features. Experienced users will still miss a number of the FTM v16 features, but we have been assured that continued improvements are on the way.
Before I go on, I am an experienced family researcher, have used every version of Family Tree Maker since 1998, routinely help others with their research, and I have about 25,300 names in my database. I also administer two DNA projects. I have a very clear idea of what I need, what I am used to getting, and exactly what people are expecting when they request my assistance.
Among the challenges for experienced users will be making a successful transition from earlier versions to FTM 2009. When I first tested this product for my own use and then attempted a review, I missed several key features regarding user controls specifying desired data elements for certain reports and charts...I simply could not find them. Another user reading my initial review verified that he could not find the user controls either. Helpful comments by an FTM product manager helped resolve the problem and a number of apparently missing features are actually there. The lesson learned is that this new interface will take some patience to find your way through. In many cases, this patience will be rewarded with a very robust and versatile software with many new capabilities.
However, for those of us who are most focused on final output, such as the ability to design and produce fully indexed Family Books on your own desktop without having to go online, this product has not yet realized it's full potential. This feature was offered in FTM v16 and previous versions, but was discontinued in FTM 2008 in favor of directing users to go on line (Ancestry press) instead of allowing full desktop-based user control.
*As Family Tree Maker continues to tweak this release, efforts need to continue in the area of fully restoring features and user controls from FTM v16, and just as importantly, educating experienced users on how to find and use the features they had enjoyed for so many years.
*A side by side explanation of features for FTM v16 and FTM 2009 would be very useful in the transition process, particularly in the area of output (reports, charts, etc.)
At this time, without the previously offered Family Book features being fully restored, FTM 2009 simply does not yet meet my personal needs, and I have returned to FTM v16. I need to continue to update the many previous Family Books (about 18) that I have produced for individuals and organizations, and I also need to continue to produce new fully indexed Family Books for pending projects I have committed to. I also have an ongoing need to have FTM read various CDs in my large collection, and unless I have missed it, FTM 2009 simply won't do this.

*3-Star Rating - I am very bottom line oriented - if I do not have in my hand exactly what I need when I am done working, and I -still- have to go back to previous software (FTM v16) to get it - then the "new" software fails my test and, for the time being, is not up to my own personal requirements. All the improved performance and various new features just do not yet matter if it cannot deliver in my hand what I expect and need when I am done.
I would encourage the FTM product design team to continue to restore features from FTM v16 and previous versions, and only then will FTM 2009 realize it's full potential.
CHT in Virginia

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Family Tree Maker 2009 by Ancestry.com, the #1 selling family history software, can help you easily discover, preserve and share your family history. It can help you build your family tree, gather stories and photos and create charts and books to share with your family. The Essentials Edition includes a one-month subscription to Ancestry.com the worlds largest online collection of family history records with more than 7 billion ancestors names. Youll also receive an interactive training tutorial and The Family Tree Maker Little Book of Answers.

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Family Tree Maker 2008 Platinum Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Despite the name, this product bears no relation to previous versions of the Family Tree Maker product line. It is a brand new product, written from scratch, and does not utilize any of the old code.
Much of the functionality that was present in the previous version (FTM 16) is missing in this one, including pretty much all of the genealogy reports. Without these reports, the product is only good for data entry, and publishing on [...]. Other omissions include the ability to read the family tree CD's that have sold alongside previous versions, and the ability to create books from your genealogy on your own computer.
To create a genealogy book, you now have to upload your data onto the [...] servers, giving them the rights to share the data as they choose, and use the new web based Ancestry Press functionality to generate your book (for an additional fee). Ancestry Press, also being new, is extremely limited and does not contain a fraction of the functionality of the old, local book creation software.
So, buyer beware. This is NOT Family Tree Maker as you know it. I would recommend treating it as a 1.0 version of a new product, and holding off on buying it until they complete the implementation of the basic functionality which is missing.

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Whether you're new to family history or a seasoned genealogist, Family Tree Maker 2008 makes it easy for you to discover, preserve and share your family history.Windows XP (Home and Pro) SP2/Vista, Pentium II 500 MHz processor or equivalent (recommended Pentium III 1 GHz or equivalent), 256 MB RAM (512 MB RAM recommended), 400 MB free hard-disk space (additional space required for data files), 2X CD-ROM drive or faster & DVD-ROM drive for bonus content [recommended 32X CD/CD-R (CD-R required for the Backup to CD Feature)], Monitor with 800 x 600 resolution (recommended Monitor with 1024 x 768 resolution), Keyboard and mouse, Note: ALL online features require internet access. Administrator privileges are required to properly install the program on Windows XP and Windows Vista. User is responsible for internet service provider account, all internet access fees, and phone charges.

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