RootsMagic 6

[Andy]

I'm fairly set in my ways and when I've got a job to do for someone else would rather keep to the Programs I know, rather than engage on a learning curve DURING research.

From 1996 to about 2006 I was using Parson's Family Tree - after I updated my computers to Vista I STILL kept a downgraded PC to run Parson's!!!
Then about 2007-ish I bit the bullet and invested in RootsMagic version 4. It was very close to Parson's layout and functionality - GREAT! They infrequently kept me posted about updates but I was happy with the version I was using.

I received a request recently for Family Trees as Christening presents for twin baby girls born to same-sex partners through sperm donation from a WELL genealogically researched documented registered donor but my program couldn't cope.

Whenever I tried to set either of the "Legal Couple" as a particular sex the other would be changed, but not just their names, it was impossible to link a female daughter (Father) and a female daughter (Mother) without flagging up errors and the program INSISTING that one parent HAD to be male. So, when, for example, I was generating Ancestors, Decendancy and Kinship reports there were anomalies that had to be rigourously checked, He to She, His to Her, Grandson to Granddaughter, Uncle to Aunt, Brother to Sister etc. etc. Not a BIG problem but annoying when 6 weeks of work has gone into the job and MANY hundreds of people have been found going back 11 generations.

I really like RootsMagic but I'm a "Canny Scot" so if it ain't broke - don't fix it. RootsMagic certainly wasn't broke but the programmer, God bless him, decided to fix it anyway.

An upgrade to RootsMagic 6 cost me $19 (if you don't have a previous version the price new is $29).

Version 6 copes with same sex partnerships but can add the data for the Biological parent! Effectively a three parent family.

It is also the only program that fully integrates with the new Family Search website. Basically this shows possible links between information you've found with information posted on FamilySearch.org and the other Church of Latter Day Saints websites Rootsweb and Ancestry. The Mormons have collected so much genealogical data it's mind-blowing. But, as we all know, much of the information has been mistranscribed and submitted lines can be more fiction than fact.

I think, in an effort to clean up the data, FamilySearch are encouraging Family History Program compilation programmers to hook up directly, share, and more importantly, overwrite erroneous entries with properly sourced information. RootsMagic does this!

After you've bought the program is completely FREE to join the Search Site. They have a 100 year cut off period so none of your personal details appear online. You don't have to upload your Family Tree just match and check the online data against your own trees and upload or download information as required. Unlike Ancestry where you pay a massive yearly subscription, upload your GEDCOM only to find that it's no longer yours if the subscription isn't paid, this seems to be freeware and if you don't want to share or correct data just DON'T.

The AutoMatch function is incredible. The program cross-references data from your database against the online information. You can choose to share, upload and overwrite information or download extra (sourced) information directly into your tree. FANTASTIC! Smartmatching caused me countless problems when merging downloaded GEDCOM files into my (Doubly backed up) database. No such problems arise with RootsMagic.

I don't usually endorse ANY products but I've just started playing with this one and I'm VERY impressed. The old version was great too but I've heard that the "Publisher" function on this version is even better that the last two.

RootsMagic offer a free trial - may be worth a quick download.

[trish1]

Hi Andy

I've been using an old version of FTM for years - but on windows 7 it has some issues & I need to update or get something new - so I'm going to try the free option of Roots Magic.
mmm - supposed to import FTM files - but I had to create a gedcom - still imported that OK.
I've already found a couple of drawbacks in the "free" version. Will check it out further before deciding whether to buy - or to upgrade FTM (which I don't seem able to try before I buy)

thanks for the info

Trish