What is the best Family tree software?

Question:My Family tree, Roots Magic or whatever. Best for a computer newbie. Advice please.

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: My Family tree, Roots Magic or whatever. Best for a computer newbie. Advice please.

I like Roots Magic. FTM is the market leader. PAF is free. Reunion is the only one widely available for the MAC.

You can Google:
Genealogy software comparison
and see authoritative opinions. My personal prejudices are not universal truths.

I prefer MS Paint... draw your own tree and include anyone you want. Kylie Minogue is my mum and Joan Rivers is my uncle Derek. ; )

www.genesreunited.co.uk is an excellent site for newcomers

I like Legacy, although mine is a bit limited since I'm only using the free download version.

www.familysearch.org is the LDS web site, and offers free PAF download. In my humble and cheap opinion, it is silly to pay for a program when you are just starting out. With over 20 yrs, I still use the freebie.
All the reputable genealogy programs have gedcom ability.. a file format where it "takes" the info from the program and you can transfer it to another. Thus, persons who use different programs can still share the info.
after 6 months, if you still like all this stuff (and know what the freebie has.), you can decide if you want or need something with more bells and whistles.

I have use Family Tree Maker for years. I think its the most user friendly for newbys. You can try the beta version for free by going to familytreemaker.com

I've sworn by Family Tree Maker for many years (since V1 to Version 16. It has served all my needs from being a newbie a long time ago, to maintaining numerous databases now with over 3000 people.

Unfortunately, they completely redesigned the new Family Tree Maker 2008. I don't like it right now, though that may be because it is so different from the previous 16 versions, but maybe after using it for a bit I will change my mind. I do wish they had kept the tried and true format. But maybe I will end up liking this new format better.

Family Tree Maker had top ratings from trials run by a couple of Family History magazines.
I started mine back in 1982 the hard way - folders, card indexes, an Amstrad with Locoscript (in other words using the machine as a word processor) and a dot matrix long carriage printer, which produced drop-downTrees double brief size which look very impressive because they show all the siblings and their families on one chart.
Can't be bothered to start imputting all the info again but I think I'd go for Family Tree Maker as a result of the "official" findings.
Maybe you should check the Family Tree mags in somewhere like W. H. Smiths to see if they have done any evaluations lately. If not, you could contact them yourself.

I agree with Mind Bender. I have used Family Tree Maker for almost 15 years and have a data base of about 8000 names. I got the new version, tried it and sent it back! I understand Legacy is very good. I'm not sure if I'll just keep using FTM or switch to Legacy

I used Family Tree Maker for years its very good but my computer burnt out and although I had backed up everything to disk I never got round to putting it back on the computer. To be honest I am glad I didn't I have gone back to the old pen and paper method and glad I did because in the process I discovered I had far more info on the family than I realised and have closed a lot of loopholes which weren't evident on the computer program.

Whatever you use enjoy its a fun but addictive hobby.

I use two: Roots Magic and The Master Genealogist (TMG)
The former is by far the easier to use and it is quite flexible. TMG is more complicated, but that is because is is so flexible.

I would start off with RM and if you really get going, get TMG as well. You will be able to export you files from one to the other.

Why two programs?
As I said, TMG is very flexible and you will find that as you progress, you will need that flexibility which is unmatched by any other software. However, producing charts is a nightmare!
So, I export my TMG files into RM to produce my charts. RM is simple to use and the charts are excellent