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Software programs for organizing genealogy information
Home » Genealogy » Organizing and Documenting Your Family History Information » Software programs for organizing genealogy informationPosted by Your Guide on July 6, 2006 9:51 PM
Many software programs are available for purchase. Some of the best known are:
• Family Tree Maker 2006
• Family Origins 10.0
• Legacy Family Tree 6.0
• Roots Magic Version 3
• Ancestral Quest
• Family Historian
These programs range in price from $25 to $76 each and perform a variety of functions. Most offer easy data entry, printable reports, and file sharing through a form called a gedcom file. There are also programs available just for Macintosh computers.
If purchasing a computer program doesn't fit into your budget, there are many free and shareware programs available that may or may not have as many features as programs that are available for purchase. Some of these programs are:
• PAF 5.2.18
• Ancestry Family Tree
• Life Lines
• Geno Pro
• Bygones
These programs can be downloaded and used immediately. Make sure you have the correct operating system and enough hard drive space not only to use the software, but to add data for years to come. Many genealogists use the PAF software that is made available through the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Their program is a full-featured system that is available for free from the church's web site. You do not need to be affiliated with the church in any way to download and use the program.
No matter which program you choose, download a trial version first and try it for a few days. If it doesn't meet your needs or is too difficult to run, you will not use it. Even though there are many features that these programs have in common, there are also features that are only available on some programs, so if that feature is important to you, you may want to focus your search on those programs. As with any software purchase, research before making a final decision and be sure of what you are getting before you pay.
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