Genealogy Computer Software Reviews
Reviewed by Ron Olsen, Computer and On-Line Systems Operator
We have had a number of requests to do a summary of the software reviews which have been published in previous issues, and to provide some recommendations.
It is rather exceptious and I am reluctant to do this because there is no way to make a suggestion that fits everyone. There are a number of criteria that should be examined in each individual case to make a good recommendation. We have attempted to build a list of criteria that will help to judge the merits of the programs, and the possible shortcomings.
The products we are looking at are all MS Windows based Genealogical Database Programs. To begin, these programs will be mentioned: Ancestral Quest from Incline Software; Family Tree Maker from Broderbund Software; Visual Roots from CommSoft; Ancestor Research Tool from Everton Publishers; Family Matters from MatterWare; Reunions from Leister Productions; and Parents Genealogy from Nickle Ware.
Some of the key areas to be compared are Documentation, User Interface, Chart Printing, Gedcom Support, photo support, advanced genealogy support and finally, the price. The scale is from 0 to 5, where higher is better. We have also increased the value of some of the criteria by multiplying the ratings. These multiplied areas are noted by an x2 or x3 in the first column of the graph below.
These categories cover: The documentation rating including how well the manual and on-line help are put together, and whether or not a tutorial is included. The User Interface rating is based on how easy data entry is, how well these features are integrated into the package, and how easy to use the features of the program are. The printing rating is based on the number of printouts, how configurable these reports are, and how good the reports look. The Gedcom rating is how well the program imports and exports Gedcom data. The photo support rating is based on how well the program implements photo and multimedia inclusion in the family database. The advanced genealogy support rating is based on how many advanced features, like source tracking, and database merging, are implemented. The final rating is based on how well the program's feature level compares to other programs in its feature level.
Product: Feature: |
Ancestral Quest | Family Tree Maker | Visual Roots | Ancestor Research Tool | Family Matters | Reunions | Parents Genealogy |
| Documentation | 3 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 3 |
| User x3 Interface | 5 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 4 |
| Charts x2 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 |
| Gedcom | 4 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| Photo | 4 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 2 |
| Advanced Genealogy | 4 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 1 |
| Price x2 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 3 |
| Total: | 46 | 42 | 40 | 37 | 34 | 32 | 27 |
We have tried to be objective in our comparisons, but as anyone can guess there is probably some subjectivity in this report.
From the data compiled here, these three recommendations are outlined:
First, if you are just starting to work with a computer, I would recommend either Family Tree Maker, Ancestor Research Tool or Ancestral Quest. These are all great programs that will have you up and running with very little effort. If money is your primary concern, Ancestor Research Tool's $15.00 registration fee is easy on the pocketbook. If you are more interested in informative and good looking printouts choose Ancestral Quest. Family Tree Maker provides a good balance of excellent documentation, competitive price and full features.
Second, for those who have used a MS-DOS based genealogical database program, and if the program used has a Windows counterpart, try it first. Changing programs is rarely worth the hassle of learning the new interface. If you have used PAF or some PAF compatible program that doesn't have a Windows counterpart, try Ancestral Quest. This program is PAF data compatible, and also provides a full compliment of features within the Windows operating system.
Finally, if you have lots of research, and are now trying to computerize it, use Visual Roots. This product is the only professional style genealogical database program in this review. A few others, Ancestral Quest and Family Tree Maker, are close, but they don't provide the level of professionalism found in Visual Roots.
Some of the best features of Visual Roots are Gedcom support, and source tracking.
These views are our own, and probably are not shared by everyone. Also, as was earlier stated, these recommendations are not universal. Each person should take a look at his/her abilities, and his/her research methods and find the product that best compliments those techniques.
In this comparison there is no clear winner among the programs that have been tested. If ten genealogists were asked what products they liked best, their responses would probably all be different. Each one would have his/her own reasons why one program was selected over another one.
The bottom line is all of the products reviewed here are fine genealogical database programs, and, on occasion, we have recommended each of them to individuals.
This review was printed in Everton's Genealogical Helper, May/June 1996, p.249. It is reprinted here by permission of The Everton Publishers, Inc., Logan Utah.
One final note: AQ has been lowered in price from $49.95 to $39.95. This would likely increase the over-all rating of AQ by 2 more points.