Choosing the Right Genealogy Program

Submitted by: HOST GFS Heather@aol.com

 

There are several genealogy progams out there, which offer many different attributes. The trick is to find one that fits in your budget and that will get things done the way you would like it too.

First of all, there are a lot more Genealogy programs available for PC compatible computers, than there are for Mac. Computers. The main program for Mac computers is Reunion, which costs about $100.00. For PC's there are several programs, such as... Generations, Master Genealogists, PAF, Brothers Keeper, Family Tree Maker, Family Origins among others.

On the Beginners Center Website for Genealogy Programs, you will find a review of different programs. You will also see a section that will ask you questions, to give you an idea what would best fit your needs. Go to: http://www.genealogyforum.rootsweb.com/gfaol/beginners/GSPFolders.htm. This will be very helpful to you in deciding, which program best fits your needs. The reviews cover both for PC and Mac computer genealogy programs.

Few things you should ask yourself, is what do you want to use it for. Do you want it just to enter your information, or in the future do you want it so it is capable of creating a book form of information of your database, that you can create to pass down to your children and other relatives. Also do you want one that can create a web page of your database?

There are two programs that are not mentioned in the Beginners Center that I want to talk briefly about.

First about Family Origins, which is a PC Genealogy program, it is very user friendly, creates many charts, does books, creates a web page of your database, has a scrapbook where you can add photos too that you have scanned, which can be incorporated into reports you generate, It also has the capability of bringing up two separate databases at the same time, to compare with one another, plus many other features. Many of the genealogy programs out today do have a lot of these capabilities, some are just easier to work with than others are. The program will cost the last I checked was $29.95.

The other program not mentioned in the Beginners Center is "Generations," it use to be called Reunion, it is the Windows version of Reunion, it changed names over a year ago to Generations. You can find out more about it by going to: http://www.sierra.com/sierrahome/familytree/. Generations the window base program for PC's and Reunion for Mac's is also pretty user friendly, and has many of the capabilities as Family Origins, but just in a different way. You will find a review of Reunion in the Beginners Center web site of Genealogy Software that I gave you earlier. Be sure to read all the reviews and find out what would best suit your needs. Everyone has their own preferences and what they like the best. I have used the following programs, in this order: PAF, Family Tree Maker, Reunion, and Family Origins. I still use Family Origins, which best suits me.

Some of the other programs such as Family Tree Maker do offer CD's for sale of many different databases. My suggestion to you before purchasing a CD that has a database you're interested in, be sure it provides you with all the sources of where they got their information, otherwise it is useless to you, and a waste of your money and time. The best type of research, is doing the actual research yourself, view the actual records, whether they are on microfilm or the original records, or copies of the original records.

It is important to have a Genealogy program to help you organize your information. Most programs will have a section for you to add your notes and sources for each individual you enter. Take your time in checking out the different programs, some will even let you test them out to see if you want to purchase it. So please check out the Review section in the Beginners Center of Genealogy Programs to help you choose what will best fit your needs. (http://www.genealogyforum.rootsweb.com/gfaol/beginners/GSPFolders.htm)

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