Which FTM should I buy?

[Meridian Line]

I've just got a new laptop, & rather than upload my old program (Genealogy Suite), which no one else in the world seems to have, I thought I'd buy FTM.

The problem is there now seems to be a 2009 version ( £19.90 from TWG Computers), which says its an add on, but then says you don't need an old version installed on your computer.

I don't need an Deluxe or Platinum version, as I already have an Ancestry subcription, I've been doing family tree for a few years, so don't need CDs with hints etc.
All I need is the CD with the program, not all the extras, I would then upload gedcoms from my old program onto the FTM prog.

Any advise would be very much appreciated.

[borobabs]

Louise I would go for FTM 2006 Heather found some on amazon I think for £2 -99 with months free ancestry on them

[Elaine ..Spain]

I am probably going to be in the minority here!

If you have never used FTM before then I would recommend FTM2009. It has been released in the UK this month and is the most up to date FTM available. Looking at the TWR Computing site I see that the package also gives a one month Ancestry subscription, which is worth £9. You can tack this on to the end of any current subscription that you have.

Some people have found that they cannot get on with FTM2008 (which is basically the same as FTM 2009) because it is so different from FTM2005/6, which a lot of us have used for a few years. I think this is down to being used to something rather than the program not fulfilling its purpose. There were also a lot of problems with FTM2008 when it was released and the program lacked some of the facilities that earlier versions offered. With the improvements and updates that have taken place, there are still three things which 2008/2009 versions do not offer - they are

• the ability to back up your tree to the internet (a useful feature of 2006 which costs about £8 per year)
• the ability to create a home page direct from FTM (with FTM doing all the hard work for you!)
• the ability to create a Book (in pdf format) - although there is something in the 2008 version whereby you can create a book on the Ancestry website, although I haven't tried it yet.

If the lack of these three facilities do not worry you, then I can see no reason for not going for the most up to date version, which is 2009.

[Meridian Line]

Elaine,
thanks for that considered reply. I've been reading various reviews, & I think your points are valid. As I haven't used any of the old FTM versions, the "all new" version wouldn't faze me ( I'm still getting to grips with Windows Vista!), & the last thing I want is a home page &/or interface with Ancestry.

[Margaret in Burton]

Also if you go for the 2009 you won't have to bother with the patch for Vista that you will need if you buy 2006.

I have both 2006 and 2008, I like some of the features of 2008, like the fact it tells you how a certain person is related to you,the home person, immediately without having to calculate the relationship.

I am still entering new info on the 2006 and then uploading it to 2008 at the moment, but that as Elaine rightly points out, is because I am used to working in 2006.

If I didn't have the 2006, then the 2008 wouldn't have fazed me.

By the way, I used to use Generations before I got FTM.

[WendyPusey]

I have both and am just getting to grips with 2008. As Elaine has said, there are some things in 2006 that I like and some in 2008 that I like.

I still use my Generations program too.

[Meridian Line]

Thanks for everyone's input.
I've ordered the 2009 version. I quite enjoy playing around with new stuff on the computer, so hopefully will enjoy the challenge!

[Meridian Line]

Thought I'd update everyone.

Bought FTM 2009 on Monday.
Arrived in post on Tuesday.....installed it....& I love it!!

Still finding all the features, but those I've found so far are great. I especially like the map feature ( but then I am a bit of a map freak!).

Slight problem uploading gedcoms from my old (non FTM) prog. It wanted Gedcom 5.5, but followed Elaine's advise from another post & basically uploaded old gedcoms to a paf program, then exported those to gedcom 5.5 ( felt very pleased with myself!).

All in all I'm delighted with it so far :D. So thanks for everyone's advise.

[marybecs]

I tried but could not get on with it probably because I am quite new and I bought Family History which you can have a visual tree. I cannot get on without that and never use the other available ways to view. :o

[Colin]

Suggest you look at Roots Magic and Family Historian. FTW for UK research has serious limitations .

[Elaine ..Spain]

FTW for UK research has serious limitations .

FTW ? Do you mean FTM and if so why do you think it has serious limitations with regards to UK research.