Advertisements
| This table offers the following table of features as a guide to help you choose the right genealogy software for your needs |  |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Software title | RootsMagic Edition 4 |
Family Tree Maker 2006 | Family Tree Maker 2008 v2 (All editions) | Family Historian v4.1.3 | Family Tree maker 2010 |
| Price | |||||
| My History | £24.90 | from £12.45 | from £9.95 | £35.50 | From £18.95 |
| TWR Computing (Free delivery) |
£25.50 | £9.95 | from
£9.95 |
£35.90 | £19.95 |
| Price Direct from author | £25.50 | £9.95 | from
£9.95 |
£35.90 | £19.95 |
| Most recent edition | 2009 | .Aug 2005 | .Nov 2008 | May 2009 | September 2009 |
| Operating System | W95-V7 | W98-Vista | XP/Vista | W98-V7 | WXP-V7 |
| Evaluation Rating | |||||
| Ease of use (1[Complex]-10[Easy]) | 9 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 8 |
| users | Suitable for beginners in computing and genealogy | Suitable for beginners in computing and genealogy | Suitable for beginners in computing and genealogy | Suitable for beginners in genealogy | Suitable for beginners in genealogy |
| Privacy | |||||
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
| Data Storage Privacy | Home Computer | Home Computer | Home Computer | Home Computer | Home Computer |
| Instuctions | |||||
| Getting Started Guide - Printed |  |
|
Deluxe & Platinum only | 48 pages | Deluxe & Platinum only |
| Getting Started Guide - On disc | |
 |
|
|
|
| Main Manual - Printed | Available separately | Available separately | Available separately | Available separately | Available separately |
| Main Manual - On disc & printable | |
|
|
Yes 200 pages | |
| On-screen Help | |
Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent |
| Data Storage/Sources | |||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Multiple dates for a single event | |
|
|
|
|
| Space for sources | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent |
| Attribute a single source to multiple records | |
|
|
|
|
| Add multiple sources to a single event | |
|
|
|
|
| Automatically assign a source to fields as they are keyed | |
|
|
|
|
| Create/Edit a list of Sources/Master Sources | |
|
|
|
|
| Create/Edit a list of Repositories | |
|
|
|
|
| Report of sources and where used | |
|
|
|
|
| Working with data | |||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Colour code people to help navigation in tree | |
|
|
|
|
| Create/Edit standard list of place names/occupations etc. | |
|
Place names only | Places, Occupations, + more | Place names only |
| Notes | |||||
| Allow notes against individuals | |
|
|
|
|
| Allow separate notes | |
|
|
|
|
| Create a Source for Notes | |
|
|
|
|
| Link separate notes to multiple persons | |
|
|
|
|
| Research | |||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Produces blank forms for manual research | |
|
2 Forms | |
|
| Automatic Internet Research for Records | Ancestry, Rootsweb, Family Search | Ancestry | Ancestry | |
Ancestry |
| Create Map Coordinates and link to Microsoft 3D Maps | |
|
|
|
|
| Create a 'To-Do' list | |
|
|
Excellent | |
| Charts/Diagrams | |||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Diagrams are part of main program | |
|
|
|
|
| Overall layout of Charts (Out of 10) | 3 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 6 |
| Ancestor Tree/Pedigree | |
|
|
|
|
| Standard Pedigree | |
|
|
|
|
| Descendants | |
|
|
|
|
| Hourglass | |
|
|
|
|
| All Relatives Diagram/All-in-one | |
|
See extended chart in FTM 2009/10 | |
|
| Everyone Diagram | |
|
|
|
|
| Fan Charts | |
|
Expected on free update in 2008 | |
|
| Expand/Hide Branches | |
|
|
|
|
| Click and drag on diagrams to add relatives | |
|
|
|
|
| Allow repositioning of people in diagram | |
Limited on Descendant chart | Limited on Descendant chart | |
|
| Click and drag to rescale charts to fit paper | |
|
|
|
|
| Prevent boxes printing over page joints | |
|
|
|
|
| Save and edit customised charts | |
|
|
|
|
| Synchronised charts | |
|
|
|
|
| Chart Design Templates | |
|
|
|
|
| Display Relationships on Diagrams/Charts | |
|
? | |
|
| Print a numbering system on Diagrams/Charts | |
|
|
|
|
| Show same generation cousins as one level on charts | |
Descendant chart only | Descendant chart only | |
Descendant chart only |
| Decorative box borders (colour) | Colour only | |
|
|
|
| Decorative page borders (colour) | |
|
|
|
|
| Choice of Colours for text/boxes/lines/background | |
|
|
|
|
| View/Edit individuals data by clicking on diagrams | |
|
|
|
|
| Statistics | |
|
|
|
|
| Time Lines | Family Only | |
Family & National(USA bias) | |
Family & National(USA bias) |
| Multimedia Facilities | |||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Add Photos | |
|
|
|
|
| Edit Photos in Program | |
|
Links to favourite photo editing program | |
|
| Link Individuals to parts of a photo | |
|
|
|
|
| Categorise and sort photos | |
|
|
|
|
| Add Sound | |
|
|
|
|
| Add Video | |
|
|
|
|
| Reports/Publishing | |||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Narrative /Register Reports | Good | Excellent | To be re introduced in a future update | Excellent | |
| Create PDF documents from Reports | |
|
|
No * | |
| Family History Book Publishing | Excellent | Excellent | To be re introduced in a future update | Good | |
| Preview before Publishing | |
|
|
Good | |
| Create publishers files from Diagrams | |
Bitmap, JPEG,PNG, TIFF and more * | |
||
| Create Ahnentafel report/book | |
Detailed Report | |
Outline Report | |
| Create web (HTML) browser-based versions of reports for CD or internet publishing | |
Limited to creating PDF documents from reports & diagrams | Limited to creating HTML files from reports | Limited to creating HTML files from reports | |
| Create a website to publish on the internet | |
Yes On Ancestry server only | |
Yes Advanced | |
| Create website for publishing on a CD | |
|
|
Yes Advanced | |
| Publish a read-only copy of program and family file on a CD | |
|
|
|
|
| Import/Export Features | |||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Import from a Gedcom file | |
|
|
|
|
| Export to a GEDCOM file | |
|
|
|
|
| Import and attach to existing file | |
|
|
|
|
| Import and check for duplicates | No (poor) | |
|
Yes (good) | |
| View/Compare two open files | |
|
|
|
|
| Export part of a tree to a GEDCOM file | |
|
|
|
|
| Data Storage/Backups | |||||
| Use with data stored on External Hard-drive | |
|
|
|
|
| Back up directly to Memory Stick | |
|
|
|
|
| Back up to External Hard-drive | |
|
|
|
|
| Back up directly to CD | |
|
|
|
|
| Use Program from a Memory Stick |
Program and data |
|
|
|
|
| Backup service on remotecomputer | |
Yes $9.95/year | |
|
|
| Store Contact details for living individuals in tree | |
|
|
|
|
| Extras | |||||
| Collaboration with relatives | |
|
|
|
|
| Extra Programs/Data CDs | |
|
|
|
|
| Free Trial/Subscriptions | |
Yes - 14 day Ancestry.co.uk | Yes - see packs for duration | |
Yes - see packs for duration |
Information courtesy of www.softwareselection.org
Return to top
of page
Last updated July 2010
My History
4 Mexborough Business Centre, College Road,
Mexborough, South Yorkshire, UK
Telephone: 01709 586758, Fax: 0705 343 7756, email:
sales@my-history.co.uk