Wednesday, March 11, 2020

Camparing Genealogy Programs

Well,  I didn't really set out to compare programs.  I actually couldn't find the program that I use to "count trees" which is how I find if I have any stragglers not connected to my main family tree,  so I can reconnect them or delete them.
btw the program for that is : Legacy Trees count number of trees report

So, I started surveying my various software to see what reports they run that I like, what hints they offer and any other tools I might use them for.

I thought it was pretty handy so I sent it to DiAnn, a blogger I really like and she used it to compare her use of Family Tree Maker to Legacy.
Here is the link to her post: https://family-tree-advice.blogspot.com/2020/03/comparing-programs.html

This was my response and here are my two reports I use and love I hope she continues the series and does Rootmagic next!

That was a good take on my recent survey of the various genealogy software that I use. I don't think the free version that you used will let you do most of the things that I use Legacy for but you are right about the old “feel.” I’m not going to defend Legacy,  but once you buy the software they are wonderful about free updates. So,  I've more than gotten my money's worth out of my original software expense over these many years. ( It's now only $34 to purchase the deluxe version)

When I was paper/note book based (I am now all digital) the Legacy family group sheet print-out was the first document in that section of the notebook about a particular family. It's clean and easy to view and write notes on. The reports/charts/graphs are amazing and are far superior to any other genealogy software. I keep a recent version of my gedcom file loaded in Legacy ( I am now 100% online Ancestry synced through Family Tree Maker) and when I get an email or message ( I have them email me !!) requesting information on a person or families in my file,  I can quickly run a report on that family/person,  save it as a pdf and email to them  as an attachment.  I will send you two samples of these reports, maybe you can include them at bottom of your post -so folks can see my actual samples. They take 10 seconds to produce!

I usually send a "Narrative Book" report adjusted by # of generations of interest. Because Legacy is drawing from my Ancestry/Family Tree maker ged(with media) it will embed images of the graphic file images attached to the people in that branch and include an amazing bibliography ( Source citations) at the end of the report. Then the person knows all the documentation I have as proof.
So easy,  no typing info and they can quickly see all that I have on a particular person/family. (citation- citations,  baby!)

I am also a big database cleaner,  like you are,  and the report I most frequently use is "Potential Problems" report which can be designed to report on just what you want to work on. I print out the reports and then make the correction online directly into Ancestry, then with the next sync they are changed in my FamilyTree Maker ged.

Everyone should make sure they are syncing their file from Ancestry to their own computer . They should own a personal digital copy of everything they have found and attached to each person in their ancestry files. I think you can only do that syncing now through FTMaker and RootsMagic.
Also If you are looking for genealogy education,  Legacy has absolutely wonderful webinars too !! check out the software here https://legacyfamilytree.com/  You will not think you wasted $34!

I thought it was interesting that she thought it might be a controversial post, when of course it wasn't. There isn't and shouldn't be any controversy in sharing what tools we use in genealogy and that's what these programs are .... Thanks, DiAnn