What is the best geneology software on the market? Research Family tree?

Hello, I need a last min Christmas gift and I just found out my mom really wants to start researching our family tree. I dont want to mess around with something that is a waste of her time and my money. Can someone that has alot of experience with this give me your opinion on what is on the market that is user friendly but good quality software to put on her computer to help her get started and assist her to completion? Thanks!What is the best geneology software on the market? Research Family tree?You will probably get as many answers as you have users for this question and most of us have tried more than one of the products. I have tried PAF, Legacy, Family Tree Maker and Roots Magic. Of those four, you can get a version of two them at no charge. All you have to do is go to their website and download the product. PAF is free http://www.familysearch.org/eng/default.鈥?/a> Legacy is also free http://www.legacyfamilytree.com/ and has a user group on Rootsweb http://boards.rootsweb.com/topics.softwa鈥?/a> where a user could get an answer to most any question within a day or so of asking....there could be others not sure about other user groups.



There is good information in the genealogy community that Legacy has plans to be integrated with the LDS/Mormon site like Family Tree Makers is with Ancestry.com. What this will entail or how it will work remains to be seen but since the LDS site is free it could make Legacy software a good choice as the promise to keep the software free to existing users鈥hat could mean paid subscribers only鈥gain not sure of the specifics, however, the upgrade is about $35.00 to $39.00 depending on the options you choose. PAF will not be upgraded but there is no talk of it being discontinued either.



If you need a physical gift for under the tree and can get to a Sam鈥檚 Club, they usually have a Family Tree Maker [latest version 2010] with some Ancestry.com free time鈥epending on the version and price[discounted] it varies from 60 days to one year. Some people love Ancestry.com and others, not so much. It really depends on experience, sometimes when people figure out that they have been researching the wrong ancestor because of non-sourced records they get frustrated and give up.



There is a good tutorial for those who are new to family research at:

http://rwguide.rootsweb.ancestry.com/ Make sure that you recommend the tutorial and the Yahoo!Ask genealogy section archive.



Good luck.What is the best geneology software on the market? Research Family tree?
"Best" depends on her skill level and machine. I got 65,000 hits in Google for "Genealogy Software comparisons"



I like ConsumerSearch, Inc. A service from About.com, a part of The New York Times Company.

Their page

http://www.consumersearch.com/genealogy-鈥?/a>



Says Roots Magic 3 ($30) and Legacy 7 ($35) are tied for first, unless she is a professional or has a Mac. She can get PAF for free from the Mormons. You can get Family Tree Maker plus a year's subscription to Ancestry.com in one bundle, I believe, but can't find the offer.



I have used Roots Magic and its predecessor, FOW, for 10 years. I once had it, FTM and PAF all at once. I liked RM the best. I have never tried Legacy.



You didn't say how much you wanted to spend. For $169 or so you could buy her a year's subscription to Ancestry.com. If she was serious and most of her lines were in the USA after 1850, she'd love it. If it is just a whim, then it would be like buying a boxed set of all the Oscar winning movies on DVD for someone who didn't like movies.



On a side note, both FTM and RM come on a CD if you want, but most people pay via credit card and download. I don't think PAF comes on a CD; downloading is the only option I have ever heard of. I suspect Legacy has CD and download options. You'd do better to put a promise to pay for it (and a second promise, to show her how to download, if necessary) on a nice card than to try to find any of the products on CD in a software store, or pay FedEx overnight rates.What is the best geneology software on the market? Research Family tree?If she is new at it Family Tree Maker, Legacy, or Roots Magic are all good and are pretty simple to use. I use FTM And RM.



You might also want to tell her that genealogy researcher is not valid with out citing the source og the information and Ancestry.Com, or any of the other web site with unsourced trees are not considered a valid source.What is the best geneology software on the market? Research Family tree?
Tina nailed it and deserves "best answer". When you download PAF though, be sure to check the box that says that you don't want LDS items showing because it will confuse you.



I Have tried a dozen or more other programs and the PAF is at least tied with the best.. and it is free.What is the best geneology software on the market? Research Family tree?I have been using LEGACY software for the last 10 years and I have never had any problems with it I absolutely love it and have no desire to change to anything else. http://www.legacyfamilytree.com/



The standard version (currently version 7) is free. To get the deluxe upgrade you pay around $30. The whole thing is a down loadable application.