Pearl Street Software has just announced the release of a major update to the company's flagship product, Family Tree Legends. I have reviewed this program in the past and was very impressed with its power and ease of use. Now the company has added several desirable features.
Version 5.0 will create shareable CDs of your genealogy from within the program. This feature allows you to create a fully-working version of Family Tree Legends on a CD or DVD disk. The disk contains your genealogy data and all the necessary Family Tree Legends software to allow anyone else to view your data on their Windows computer. You can legally give this disk to others.
The recipient simply inserts the CD or DVD disk into a Windows computer and runs it. No software installation is required. The disk is obviously "read only," being on a CD. That is, the sharable disk does not allow the recipient to edit any of the data. All of the Internet features have also been disabled on the sharable CD. Using the shareable CD or DVD, the recipient can print charts, print any and all of the reports, and view everything in the database.
Again, the disk you create with Family Tree Legends version 5.0 can be freely distributed to anyone. I think this feature is going to be VERY popular.
Version 5 of Family Tree Legends also adds:
- Ancestor and Descendant Fan charts with 1/4, 1/2, and 3/4 pie styles.
- Improved Scrapbook Printing - More options, easier to use, and better than ever.
- CD & DVD File Backup - Version 5.0 will create a backup copy of your Family Tree Legends file to CD or DVD disk.
- Correspondence Tracker - Track all your correspondence with other researchers in one convenient manager. Manage all of your contacts as well with easy links to emailing and more.
- Handheld computer interface - Family Tree Legends version 5.0 also includes slightly limited versions of GedStar Pro for Palm handhelds and of Pocket Genealogist for PocketPC handhelds. Both of the handheld computer applications included with Family Tree Legends are slightly limited "trial versions" of the programs but with nag-free screens.
I hope to write a full review of Family Tree Legends 5.0 within a few weeks, as soon as I can obtain a copy.
In the meantime, you can read more about Family Tree Legends 5.0 at http://www.familytreelegends.com/software/whatsnew
