From roots-in@roots-l.rootsweb.com Sun Apr 16 18:28:33 2006 Received: from mail.rootsweb.com (mail.rootsweb.com [192.168.65.34]) by admin.rootsweb.com (8.12.8/8.12.8) with ESMTP id k3H0SXjb030750; Sun, 16 Apr 2006 18:28:33 -0600 Received: from roots-l.rootsweb.com (roots-l.rootsweb.com [66.43.16.22]) by mail.rootsweb.com (8.13.4/8.13.4) with ESMTP id k3H0SVh1008901 for ; Sun, 16 Apr 2006 18:28:31 -0600 Received: from roots-l.rootsweb.com (roots-l [127.0.0.1]) by roots-l.rootsweb.com (8.12.10/8.12.10) with ESMTP id k3GLu3FI026008 for ; Sun, 16 Apr 2006 17:56:03 -0400 Received: (from roots-in@localhost) by roots-l.rootsweb.com (8.12.10/8.12.8/Submit) id k3GLu3N5026007 for roots-approved@rootsweb.com; Sun, 16 Apr 2006 17:56:03 -0400 Received: from lists5.rootsweb.com (lists5.rootsweb.com [66.43.27.41]) by roots-l.rootsweb.com (8.12.10/8.12.10) with SMTP id k3GJR1FI023689 for ; Sun, 16 Apr 2006 15:27:01 -0400 Received: (from slist@localhost) by lists5.rootsweb.com (8.12.8/8.12.8) id k3GLxJDW017208 for roots-in@roots-l.rootsweb.com; Sun, 16 Apr 2006 15:59:19 -0600 X-Envelope-From: Kith-n-Kin@cox.net Sun Apr 16 15:59:19 2006 Received: from mail.rootsweb.com (mail.rootsweb.com [192.168.65.34]) by admin.rootsweb.com (8.12.8/8.12.8) with ESMTP id k3GLxJjb017199 for ; Sun, 16 Apr 2006 15:59:19 -0600 Received: from fed1rmmtao08.cox.net (fed1rmmtao08.cox.net [68.230.241.31]) by mail.rootsweb.com (8.13.4/8.13.4) with ESMTP id k3GLxHJc022240 for ; Sun, 16 Apr 2006 15:59:17 -0600 Received: from TOWER ([68.0.155.47]) by fed1rmmtao08.cox.net (InterMail vM.6.01.06.01 201-2131-130-101-20060113) with ESMTP id <20060416215913.FGGT20694.fed1rmmtao08.cox.net@TOWER>; Sun, 16 Apr 2006 17:59:13 -0400 From: "Kith-n-Kin" To: "'MScheffler'" , Date: Sun, 16 Apr 2006 14:59:07 -0700 Message-ID: <000501c661a0$fc398ed0$6601a8c0@TOWER> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" X-Priority: 3 (Normal) X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook, Build 10.0.6626 In-Reply-To: <014801c66182$f9cf6840$6601a8c0@m1070n> X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2900.2869 Importance: Normal X-Scanned-By: MIMEDefang 2.52 on 192.168.65.34 X-Scanned-By: MIMEDefang 2.52 on 192.168.65.34 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit X-MIME-Autoconverted: from quoted-printable to 8bit by admin.rootsweb.com id k3GLxJjb017199 Sender: roots-in@roots-l.rootsweb.com Subject: [ROOTS-L] Re: Software Poll I can't speak about Roots Magic, it has a good reputation, but I haven't ever used it. I have used Family Tree Maker, and The Master Genealogist. I don't have issues with the reports, as long as I can get "what I put in" to "come out". I say this because I use the "report" as a basis for word-crafting a narrative that suits me. I have yet to see a database software that will appeal that much to my "creative" side. I do have issues with "how" the data is maintained in the database, and for this I give TMG full marks! Again, I haven't seen RM, so it may do the type of thing, but FTM doesn't/didn't. For example, in TMG, you can enter a census citation and "link" it to everyone in the database who is mentioned in the citation. So, you don't have to repeat the same information ten, twelve, fifteen times (some of those folks had really big families, didn't they?). Of course, when the kin all lived within a square mile, there could be cousins, aunts, uncles. .. . I'm sure you get the picture. You have hundreds of "types" of information to choose from, and if you don't find what you like, you can make up your own. So, if you don't like "Military - begin" and "Military - end" you can add "Military Service" and put as much information as you like in a paragraph. Because so many of us were concerned about implying (to the untrained eye) that we "knew" who someone's parent was, we asked for and got a "father-can" and "mother-can" for people we present as a candidate for that position. And, we can put in many "candidates", each with his/her pedigree. The other issue, and a serious one for some of us, is the ability to put in our sources for information -- as many as needed, and in great detail. Great for developing footnotes and bibliographies. As Margaret said, TMG has a "steep" learning curve -- if you let it. I liken it to my classes in Mandarin Chinese. If you want a "basic" social ability, it doesn't take too long. If you want to fully understand and speak the language, it takes a lifetime. (yes, I opted for "please, thank you, where are you from, how are you. . . ") So, you can begin in TMG pretty easily, it has a vital e-list and forum, and no one criticizes your ignorance (she says from experience ) I also support Margaret's suggestion for downloading and trying out a couple of programs. I know RM and TMG have trials, I bet Legacy, FTM, and so on do to. Cost may be a factor, but Roots Magic costs $30, the "silver edition" of The Master Genealogist costs $40, I would guess Legacy and FTM are in that same neighborhood. By the way, Carol, most of us aren't "pros" -- we are just "practicing genealogists" -- and if we practice long enough, maybe we'll get it right! Good luck, Pat (in Tucson)