Customer Reviews

Family Tree Maker 2009 Essentials [OLD VERSION]

5 star:		(31)
4 star:		(18)
3 star:		(13)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(15)

 

 

The faithful legions of Family Tree Maker users will find FTM 2009 to be a major improvement over their previous 2008 release and will welcome the improved operating performance and a number of the new search and sourcing features. Experienced users will still miss a number of the FTM v16 features, but we have been assured that continued improvements are on the way.

Before I go on, I am an experienced family researcher, have used every version of Family Tree Maker since 1998, routinely help others with their research, and I have about 25,300 names in my database. I also administer two DNA projects. I have a very clear idea of what I need, what I am used to getting, and exactly what people are expecting when they request my assistance.

Among the challenges for experienced users will be making a successful transition from earlier versions to FTM 2009. When I first tested this product for my own use and then attempted a review, I missed several key features regarding user controls specifying desired data elements for certain reports and charts...I simply could not find them. Another user reading my initial review verified that he could not find the user controls either. Helpful comments by an FTM product manager helped resolve the problem and a number of apparently missing features are actually there. The lesson learned is that this new interface will take some patience to find your way through. In many cases, this patience will be rewarded with a very robust and versatile software with many new capabilities.

However, for those of us who are most focused on final output, such as the ability to design and produce fully indexed Family Books on your own desktop without having to go online, this product has not yet realized it's full potential. This feature was offered in FTM v16 and previous versions, but was discontinued in FTM 2008 in favor of directing users to go on line (Ancestry press) instead of allowing full desktop-based user control.

* As Family Tree Maker continues to tweak this release, efforts need to continue in the area of fully restoring features and user controls from FTM v16, and just as importantly, educating experienced users on how to find and use the features they had enjoyed for so many years.

* A side by side explanation of features for FTM v16 and FTM 2009 would be very useful in the transition process, particularly in the area of output (reports, charts, etc.)

At this time, without the previously offered Family Book features being fully restored, FTM 2009 simply does not yet meet my personal needs, and I have returned to FTM v16. I need to continue to update the many previous Family Books (about 18) that I have produced for individuals and organizations, and I also need to continue to produce new fully indexed Family Books for pending projects I have committed to. I also have an ongoing need to have FTM read various CDs in my large collection, and unless I have missed it, FTM 2009 simply won't do this.

* 3-Star Rating - I am very bottom line oriented - if I do not have in my hand exactly what I need when I am done working, and I -still- have to go back to previous software (FTM v16) to get it - then the "new" software fails my test and, for the time being, is not up to my own personal requirements. All the improved performance and various new features just do not yet matter if it cannot deliver in my hand what I expect and need when I am done.

I would encourage the FTM product design team to continue to restore features from FTM v16 and previous versions, and only then will FTM 2009 realize it's full potential.

CHT in Virginia

I have used FTM (Family Tree Maker) from its beginning days, when it was first used on PC's using the DOS operating system. I believe I used most versions up to and including FTM version 16 (the last version using the original interface). When FTM 2008 was introduced; I, like many others, was more than a little disappointed in the product. For the first time there were no enhancements or added features to the beloved Family Tree product. It was a complete rewrite with a new interface! Many features that I was used to using were either missing or different.

However, I installed FTM 2008 and imported my files from the earlier versions of FTM. One of my files has 33,000 individuals and 16,000 pictures. At first, I didn't see how I would be able continue, the conversion and cleaning up of media (pictures) looked too overwhelming and the same appeared true for correcting place names. I was afraid of losing my data so I kept a parallel copy of it on FTM version 16. When I completed all my conversions and much needed corrections, I saw I was making the right move. All my fears began to vanish. After three months of cleaning and repairing my data; I switched to using FTM 2008 exclusively. And today I can honestly say it was the right choice for me.

FTM 2009 is now available and it is a big improvement over the initial offering. I have seen the benefits. My database is cleaner, more correct and more complete than ever before and becoming better each day. My pictures are organized and stored individually in a separate directory. FTM 2009 is helping me become a better and more organized researcher.

There are two parts to using FTM or any family history product. One is getting the data entered correctly into the database; and the second and just as important, is getting the data in a usable form of reports, charts and or books. This is where FTM needs to improve. However, I have tried (and purchased) many of the competing family history products. FTM 2009 compares favorably to them all. Yes, FTM version 16 is better at reporting, charting, and book making; but I, for one, am sure the manufacturers of FTM will soon remedy the differences or shortcomings.

If you would like my rating I would give 5 out of 5 for data input and integrity and 3 out 5 for output (reporting, charting, and books). An overall rating 4 out of 5.

I finally got used to the new format of FTM 2008 and 2009. What I cannot get used to is that the program frequently closes for no apparent reason and gives me an error message. The folks at FTM/Ancestry instructed me to go into a particular directory and delete a certain folder and restart the program. That solved the problem for a short time and it recurred. In fact, the last time I used FTM 2009 it shut down right AFTER I had just applied the fix. These are the most UNSTABLE versions of FTM I have ever used.

I've been doing genealogy on and off for years, and haven't used FTM for a while. I've been rebuilding my family history [...] and decided it was time to get desktop software, and decided to get FTM 2009 because I figured it would make things easier to switch back and forth. Now, I've been using computers since I was a child, and am quite comfortable with them, but I am having a terrible time navigating around this software. It does not recognize sources that I linked to people in Ancestry, and keeps giving me hints for these sources. I am having to go in, person by person, and ignore all these hints so I don't have the little leaf on every single person. The help files have not been useful, and the email I sent has yet to be answered. I am having problems with merging information as well. I still find it difficult to move around the tree to different people and get their information up.

I don't want to scare people off of the software. It has a lot of room for your notes and sources and media and all kinds of fun stuff. It hasn't crashed (I've got Windows XP). It just isn't really intuitive, and it's likely you'll have to sit down with the instructions to figure out how to do some really basic things (no, the 1920 census is not an "alternate fact" to the 1930 census--it's a completely new source! Gah!)I have issues with any software that you end up having to buy another instruction book to really make use of it, but that's what I guess I will have to do here.

I have used Family Tree Maker since 1996. I was very disappointed with the 2008 version but I stuck with it because I knew it was an entirely new program and it would take time to find out what all the issues are and make the corrections. I was very glad to find out that they decided to scrap 2008 and were working on the 2009 version. I was a beta tester for 2009 and I was very impressed with how hard the staff worked to correct problems and how they were willing to listen to suggestions. One of the big problems with 2008 was the fact that it constantly crashed. Since I have been working with 2009 crashing hasn't been an issue. Since the media files are kept in a separate file, 2009 does not take as long to open as it did in versions prior to 2008. I do know that some people still say it takes too long to open for them, so they are still working on this problem. It has been said that the charts and reports are not as good as they were in versions prior to 2008. New charts and reports have been added and more are expected to be added, but this is an area where you must be willing to "play" with the options to really see what is available. Since I had so many problems with 2008 I didn't use the new features that were introduced, but I have tried them in 2009 and they are very useful. The web clipping feature is helpful. Please make someone aware of any issue's or concerns that you may have with 2009. Issues do need to be prioritized so your issue may not be taken care of right away, but someone is listening to all issues.

This version has so many bugs it is impossible to list them all. The major bug, and a huge one at that, is that if it crashes, which it does often on my Win XP machine, it apparently loses the vast majority of your media files. Apparently the vast majority are not stored in the media file folder directory for the tree as claimed, but instead in the tree file itself. Go look at your media folder if you don't believe me. I have hundreds of media images and only a handful are in the media folder. When the software crashes it loses these media. If you click on a lost media the program may or may not be able to find it. Even if it does find it, the file is often corrupted and cannot be viewed or printed. I have lost hundreds of hours of work and the auto backups and manual backups similarly are trashed. Avoid this program at all costs if you value your work.

I've used FTM since it first came out and just upgraded. Yes, I've figured it out, and I don't like it in the least. This might be an OK product for rank beginners, but for this very advanced user it's riddled with problems.

The interface is overly busy without adding informational value, in fact there is less information available at any given time with a lot of clutter. The alphabetical listing offers name only, which, with a large tree with many of the same given name, makes it hard to select the correct individual. The display of the Notes section, where I have embedded much detail on people, is woefully inadequate. I just am not seeing enough of the right stuff at the right time with this interface.

I don't like the online features. It is hard to identify the right people when reading the census and other sources, and going to their website [even though I have a subscription] risks importing incorrect information and could ruin the integrity of my file.

I'm sticking with the previous version. This version is for those starting out or those who do not keep much detail on their families, who keep smaller files, and who do not do much analysis on their family tree. This version is a major disappointment.

Unlike some of the other reviewers I wasn't a regular user of FTM prior to the 2008 version, although I had tried it out several times. Although it was very feature rich, the user interface let it down badly and it wasn't much fun to use.

The developers took a brave decision with v2008 to go back to the drawing board and rewrite the product from scratch. This resulted in an excellent user interface that's head and shoulders above the competition.

The unfortunate downside of starting again from scratch is that it will take some time to rebuild every bit of functionality, so I can understand why some users of v16 might have been disappointed. The changes in the UI can also be a bit disconcerting at first when you've been used to something quite different.

The developers did listen to the feedback on v2008 though, and v2009 builds on the v2008 foundation by adding in several new features and improving the performance and reliability of the product. Whilst the level of functionality may not be as comprehensive as v16 yet, what is there should be more than sufficient for the overwhelming majority of users.

I should mention that I was fortunate enough to be accepted as a beta tester for v2009, and everything I reported during the beta period was resolved very quickly. So if you're a v16 user that still doesn't see everything you need, why not send them an e-mail - you might be surprised by just how responsive they really are. In my experience they really do seem eager to build both a feature rich and robust application.

Alternatively, if you're currently using another product or simply getting started with your family history research, you should find this product very easy to use. The integration with the Ancestry website works extremely well and I've discovered several new leads as a result of it.

Beware. This program is junk. If you have used previous versions do not update to this crap. You would be better off switching to another program and relearning than using this trash. Roots Magic lets you import your file. I think I will convert. I got 2009 because since switching to vista I could no longer backup my files. Big mistake, 2009 is such a step backwards. So many missing features. Just to give you an idea, if you are related to someone more than one way it will only show one and that being the first. i.e. My first cousin who is also my sixth cousin is only shown as my sixth cousin. Also its seems the main purpose of 2009 is to have everything linked to their pay site. Do a web search and all you will get is links to their site that you must pay for. Spend your money elseware, even if you must learn a whole new program.

I agree with all the comments above and after several months am finally ready to give up on 2009.

Have been using and upgrading every version of FTM since 1992. Read the reviews on 2008 and figured they were fixed for 2009 so finally jumped in - stupidly without checking user comments such as this board. Have been working with 2009 for a few months and continue to be incredibly frustrated and features that I loved that are missing from 2009 - too many to detail here and continuing to find more. The lack of ability to customize defaults properly is an ongoing frustration. Also, for some reason, reports selectively do not include my husband, although everyone else's spouses seem to be there. He appears in certain reports and not others. Trying to import the books I had saved in earlier versions has been a disaster.

I want to add another major change/problem in this version. Genealogy Register Reports no longer show spouses of childless marriages! Previous versions did show information, including facts and notes on all spouses. In FTM 2009, if a person has had multiple marriages but children from only one marriage, ALL spouses are mentioned by name. But if you have no children with your current spouse, or are a newlywed, or have a gay partner, your spouses are no longer mentioned in the reports. Their support department told me this was because childless lines die out. I guess childless families aren't important to [...]