Family Tree Maker 2008 is Released

The program has been available in beta test for some time. Now Family
Tree Maker 2008 has"gone gold" and is available as a released product. The new 2008 version is has been completely redesigned, a good thing in my opinion. It will be interesting to see if long-time users of FamilyTree Maker agree.

You may be interested in the comments posted about the beta test version at http://blog.eogn.com/eastmans_online_genealogy/2007/07/family-tree-mak.html.

Here is today's announcement:

Revamped Software Continues 18-Year Legacy of Innovation and Excellence; Offers Users Online Integration with Ancestry.com and Other Web Resources Including Microsoft® Virtual Earth™

PROVO, Utah, Aug. 14 -- Ancestry.com, the world's largest online resource for family history, today announced the release of Family Tree Maker 2008, a completely redesigned and ground-breaking version of the world's No. 1 selling family history software. Family Tree Maker 2008 boasts an intuitive new interface and dozens of new features built on an entirely revamped, modern platform - the result of a two-year, back-to-the-drawing-board development process.

In one software bundle, Family Tree Maker 2008 provides users tools to quickly build their family trees, record their memories and organize their family photos, stories, video and audio clips. Users can quickly find and import facts and historical documents about their family from the Internet and print custom-designed family trees and books. With dynamic satellite maps and customizable timelines, Family Tree Maker 2008 truly broadens the capabilities that every family history program should include.

"Family Tree Maker 2008 redefines family tree building software, providing users with powerful, unrivaled tools and resources to discover and share their family stories," said Tim Sullivan, CEO of The Generations Network, Inc., parent company of Ancestry.com. "The software's seamless integration with the Ancestry.com Web site further solidifies Ancestry.com as the family history authority both on and offline."

Family Tree Maker users can tap into Ancestry.com's unrivaled collection of family history records and powerful search features - without leaving Family Tree Maker. When connected to the Internet, Family Tree Maker 2008 automatically searches Ancestry.com for historical documents about the individuals in the user's family tree. With a few mouse clicks, users with an Ancestry.com subscription can view and import these historical records into their family tree.

"Family Tree Maker 2008 offers every user an intuitive out-of the-box experience," said Megan Smolenyak, Chief Family Historian for Ancestry.com. "Ancestry.com developers worked closely with industry professionals as well as family history beginners to create a program that uniquely spans the range of user ability with an easy-to-use interface that also offers advanced, robust features."

The following new and updated features expand Family Tree Maker's capabilities:

  -- Interactive Street and Satellite Maps - Use Microsoft® Virtual Earth™* to access dynamic street and satellite maps that pinpoint important locations in ancestors' lives from within Family Tree Maker. A place-name database and hint engine helps users correctly enter localities in a consistent format.

  -- Web Integration -View and search any Web site from within Family Tree Maker*. Once users locate information about their ancestors, they can easily import appropriate images, text and even a cached version of the Web page in to their family tree.

  -- Individual Biographies - Create biographical sketches for each ancestor, adding life facts, historical documents, photos and other digital media. In addition, timelines highlight important personal, family and world events that occurred during ancestors' lifetimes.

  -- Media Organization -Upload and manage image, audio, video and other media files. Users can attach these files directly to specific people in a family tree to better illustrate their family story.

  -- Publish Family History Books - Create customized, illustrated family history books. Ancestry Press allows users to bring their family history to life with professionally designed charts, timelines, reports and pedigree charts, as well as photos, historical records and more. The books can then be professionally printed and bound (or printed on home printers).

First released in 1989, Family Tree Maker ranks in longevity among Microsoft Windows (first released in 1985) and Adobe Photoshop.

Family Tree Maker 2008 is now available for sale online at http://www.familytreemaker.com/ for $39.95. The program is also set to be released in select retail stores in October 2007.

  * Internet access required for Microsoft Virtual Earth and other Web integration.

  About Ancestry.com

With 24,000 searchable databases and titles, Ancestry.com is the No. 1 online source for family history information. Since its launch in 1997, Ancestry.com has been the premier resource for family history, simplifying genealogical research for millions of people by providing them with many easy- to-use tools and resources to build their own unique family trees. The site is home to the only complete online U.S. Federal Census collection, 1790-1930, as well as the world's largest online collection of U.S. ship passenger list records featuring more than 100 million names, 1820-1960. Ancestry.com is part of The Generations Network, Inc., a leading network of family-focused interactive properties, including MyFamily.com, RootsWeb.com, Genealogy.com and Family Tree Maker. In total, The Generations Network properties receive 10.4 million unique visitors worldwide and over 450 million page views a month (© comScore Media Metrix, March 2007).

Comments

[theKiwi]

quote:
-- Web Integration -View and search any Web site from within Family Tree Maker*. Once users locate information about their ancestors, they can easily import appropriate images, text and even a cached version of the Web page in to their family tree.
===============

Well this feature should get those who worry about "my genealogy was stolen and used by someone else" wound up some more

Cheers

Roger

[Suzanne Russo Adams, AG]

There is also a great Media Kit/Reviewer's Guide online for the new FTM 2008. To learn more, go here:

http://myfamily.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=23

[Fred Langa]

- "18-Year Legacy of Innovation and Excellence"

Innovation? What innovation?
Excellence? What excellence?

[Jo Ann]

There is no break in the price for previous versions, only $39.95 Jo

[Joan McIlmoyl Cleghorn]

Well, I hope the 'final' version improves on the beta - no ability to view FTM CDs, unable to import older versions of FTM data......sure glad I use TMG!

8-)
Joan

[Judy in Ocala]

It is true that FTM 2008 will not view FTM CDs, but it *does* import older versions of FTM data, as well as data from many other popular genie programs, plus, of course, Gedcoms. However, because it is an entirely new database structure, you cannot save FTM 2008 files back to earlier versions of FTM. If you want to do that, you'll have to use Gedcom.

[Doris Wheeler]

And it still doesn't come close to matching TMG.
Doris

[William Boswell]

Do you mean they jumped from RC1 to final release with all of the problems that have been reported? I hope they read all of the beta users' comments, including mine, and at least made an attempt to fix some of these faults.

Unfortunately I pre-ordered before I knew about the public beta and could not cancel my order. While many of the new features are appealing to me, there are a lot of things wrong with the program and should be fixed before releasing so soon.

[Allen Prunty]

The beta version could not handle my large database... I won't buy unless they give me something I can try that shows me it will work.

Allen

[Judith Arnn-Knight]

Just got this message when I asked about reading FTM CDs with the new 2008 FTM

Unfortunately, at this time, Family Tree Maker 2008 will not be able to work with your Family Archive CDs.

If there is anything else with which we might assist you, please let us know.

Audrey
Member Solutions
Ancestry.com
http://ancestry.custhelp.com/

Are they crazy or what??? I must have 25-30 of those CDs and still find info in them as I research other surnames. I am just going to have to be one of those non-buyers of the new 2008 version!!!

[Robert]

With all its deficiencies in beta, and quick release of FTM 2008, I think I'll just wait for FTM 2009 and hopefully that will truly be an advance beyond FTM 2007!

[Linda Gutierrez]

Many of us who tested the public beta like some of the new features, but still want the missing features that are available in Versions 16, 2006 & 2005, etc. Some have opted to purchase 2008 as an additional program, retaining their previous version of FTM and using both programs. This is what I have decided to do. Those of us who have made this decision also hope that FTM will offer some of the missing features in future updates. The point here is that FTM 2008 will NOT install over previous versions so that you could still use it and your older version for your CD's and other missing features. Just thought I would calirfy that point for any of you who are curious enough to try it, but disappointed about what is not included.

[John Bayle]

Judith asked if they [ancestry] are crazy.
I certainly think they are. If you go to their genealogy.com web site they are still selling World Family Tree CD's. On that web site, they are now selling WFT Volumes 187 and 188, as well as the Colorado State Census for 1885. The web site also says that these CDs are viewable "with Family Tree Maker or the free Family Archive Viewer." I think ancestry shows a callous disregard for their loyal FTM Customers who have supported their products over the years, to come out with a new version of FTM that does not read these CDs as all past versions of FTM going back at least 10 years have.
Other features that make FTM be the same FTM that it has been for the past several releases are also missing. There are no genealogy reports (Register and Ahnentafel Reports). The all in one tree is gone as is the hourglass tree and the ancestor tree (though there is a pedigree report that is similar I think). Many options on the charts that remain, are gone missing or different.

I have used FTM since 1997. While I did not always upgrade to the latest version, I have had FTM 16 for about 8 months now. I also used the Beta and RC1 candidate for a few weeks. While "FTM 2008" has some good new features, the total change of the User Interface and the lack of previously available functions make it a totally different program which on balance is not as good a program as FTM 16 IMHO.
This new program is so different from previous releases of FTM that it should not be called FTM 2008 in my opinion. Ancestry is just using the name to increase sales. A more honest approach would be to call it Ancestry's New Genealogy Program Release 1.0, or something similar.

[J.D. Wilson]

I have been using FTM since Banner Blue's DOS version 1.0. I plan to wait until FTM "2009" or beyond before buying another version of FTM.

Some of the reasons for my decision (based upon the performance and features of RC1):

1. The product's execution speed is much slower than FTM 16. [on a 2.1 GHz Pentium IV box with 1 GB of RAM running XP SP2]

2. Many features that are present in FTM 16 are missing in FTM 2008. How can one beleive that a Register Report is not important?; being able to read hundreds of dollars worth of FTM Family Archives CDs is not important? [it's not just a problem with reading the CD; the CDs are configured to allow searching the CD for names in your database from within FTM] What happened to all of the wonderful charts?

3. I do not feel comfortable uploading information about living people to a website in order to include them in a book. The Book function needs to remain in the desktop application.

I recently downloaded an evaluation copy of The Master Genealogist. This application and its companion applications look very promising.

It is a shame that TGN thought it was necessary to rush an incomplete product to market. Perhaps the strategy is to get the customers to pay for the software development in increments. Maybe FTM 2010 will have all the features currently availble in FTM 16.

Some advice for TGN: if it's not broken, don't "fix" it. This applies not only to FTM but to MyFamily.com.

[Pam Bader]

I'm so glad I read all the comments regarding the new version of FTM. Based on all the negative comments, I have decided to wait longer to update from my 2006 version. I'm too new at this to risk losing any functions. Shame, shame that money drives this rush to market.

[Charles Meiser]

I'm thankful TGN offered the public beta. For the first time in a long time I will not be upgrading. There's a lot I don't like. If fact, the integration with Virtual Earth is the only thing I do like. More importantly importing my v 16 file failed. I've been using FTM since v 3. I agree with the comment that it shouldn't be called Family Tree Maker. Maybe it's time for a change.

[Barbara O]

I've been using FTM 2005. As soon as I learned about the changes in FTM 2008, I rushed and ordered FTM 16. Hopefully it will last for a few years so I'll have time to find another program to replace FTM. I've used FTM since it was first introduced. It's a shame they have to take an easy-to-use program and try to make it like all the others, which I don't like.

[Steve B]

I am a FTM2006 user. Count me among those who find FTM2008 a step backward. It is slow. It bogs down. I could not "intuitively" find a way to copy and paste source information as I added data. My training CD was defective. I uninstalled it and sent Ancestry.com an email - which has yet to be answered. The web site says I have 30 days to return the product. There's a link that says "return process" that jumps to their return policy - I guess they don't want any returns.

[Ira Sharp Dennis]

AWWWWWWWWW...why did I not read first...I installed 2008, oh my, oh my. It is as terrible as they say. I started with FTM 1.0 and ungraded each time. I can not tell you what this has done to my files and material...Have been researching for 35 years, had 3 books with documentation stored in the version 16. I have been unable to find any of them...then, well, I could go on. I sent an e-mail to FTM and it bounced as it said I sent it to the wrong dept. Whatever! Ira Sharp Dennis

[Bob Hegerich]

I installed the FTM 2008 RC1 version on a rather potent desktop and imported my file. After an hour or so of using FTM 2008 version, I uninstalled it for the following reasons:

1. Whereas FTM 16 imports files fairly quickly, FTM 2008 was slow as cold molasses in doing so.
2. My FTM 16 file has 96,000+ individuals and is about 95 MB in size. Once once my file was imported, FTM 2008 was intolerably sluggish; possibly this had something to do with the fact that the size of my file had approximately doubled.
3. I did not wish to find out what happened to FTM's error rate when file size doubled.
4. Whereas the FTM 16 user interface is relatively clean, the FTM 2008 user interface seems cluttered at every turn.
5. Whereas, in FTM 16, I could get wherever I wanted to go in a few keystrokes/mouse clicks, in FTM 2008 some functions I used frequently were hidden many levels down and not intuitive to find.
6. A number of functions I would consider important seem to be missing in FTM 2008.

I have used FTM since V1 and had been pleased with the way each succeeding release quietly improved on previous version while at the same time retaining its overall familiarity and ease of use. FTM 2008 on the other hand, seems to be a radical departure from this path, and an unwelcome and ill-executed one at that. I have no idea what the driving rationale behind FTM 2008 was, but at least in my opinion, the result is a product that is inferior to, not an improvement on, FTM 16.

Count me out!

[Ed Hill]

I have used FTM since the Blue Banner days and I have always upgraded to the next version. There have always been things that I would like to have that have been missing, but overall I have always been pleased . . . until now. I am not sure this version is any better than the very first version I tried years ago. It is a MAJOR step backwards. My question is . . . what other programs are their out their that are the same caliber as version 16?

[Tom Herson]

I also tried the beta version of FTM 2008. It just not any good. I can't believe TGN put this program out in the condition it's in now. No book function within the program, no register reports, no sorting utilities for children and marriages. I have always updated before, but not this time. i'm now trying Legacy and I'm happy so far. I hope that Family Tree Maker sees the error of its ways and reinstates all the missing features.

[Errol Wall]

I received the final release version of FTM 2008 on 8/23 and installed it. Fortunately it does not install over the previous version as I find the new version unusable! First, it will not import my FTM 16 data file. It gets an unknown import error message and stops at record number 121. It is a mystery to me why a major player in the genealogy program market would release an obviously inferior and buggy program - "Shades of Microsoft!" Maybe they are planning to do periodic patches to regain functionality, again like Microsoft!

In the meantime, I will continue using FTM 16, which I find to be a very good program.

[Bette Butcher Topp]

Dick - these comments have been the most wonderful services you have ever provided. I have been with Broderbund/Banner Blue, since it was first organized and even helped with some of the original features. I am so thankful to be able to read about the problems and will now NOT order the new verison and will stick with V.16 for some time. I cannot believe this has all come to pass. Maybe it is because the various companies have been absorbed by bigger and bigger ones and now is basically the ruination of a great program. You have done all of us a great service and I cannot thank you enough. After researching and publishing since 1947, I sure don't want to have my efforts all done for naught! Please keep us all up to date with the company's reactions and efforts to make it better! Thank you.
Bette Butcher Topp, Spokane, WA

[Karima]

What a rip-off. After installing and uninstalling and then installing 2 more times, I finally uninstalled this "thing" from my computer. I kept getting (every 10 seconds or so) an error message: "Authentication with the server failed." Has anyone else on this forum been confronted with this, and if so, how did you solve it. I even turned off my firewall and virus protection to try to connect and that didn't solve the "connection" problem.

I have Windows Vista, my firewall is ZoneAlarm and my anti-virus is AVG. In ZoneAlarm, FTM2008 is marked as OK to connect with internet.

If you had this problem and resolved it, I would reall like to hear from you.

allisonquest@gmail.com

[Lorelee]

If you have ordered the 2008 and have not received it yet, I hope you will just send it back unopened "return to sender", because I had an experience with a CD from them and tried to return it and since I had opened it they would not give me credit!!

[Marilyn Bartenslager]

I am very disappointed with the new version FTM 2008. I downloaded it and I can't even get it to work right. I called Ancestry and was told there was a problem with registering. Each time I tried to register I kept getting "Authentication with the server failed". I was told by Ancestry that a patch will be available on Monday 8/27/07 to download to fix problem. I don't undstand why a business would even send out anything with a problem and also missing items we all used. I have a had FTM for may years and have never been disappointed with any of their products. I am retired and on a fix income and have to budget what I spend and do not have money to burn on something like this that is such a mess.

[Melodie A. Marion]

Take this program & send it to the trash heap. I nstalled it this Morning 8/25/07 I got it registered. but noting happened. No downloads or transfering files, NO Nothing!!! What is FTM thinking I want my money back.

[Ginny in Poughkeepsie]

I agree FTM 2008 belongs in the Trash Heap.
The Reports are really the worst without Register and Ahnentafel Reports - let alone the options available with the reports they do offer.
I'm sorry I didn't read Karima's message before I opened mine yesterday.

[Ginny in Poughkeepsie]

1st in my previous post I should have said I wished I had read Loralee's post - Sorry Karima -

BUT NOW GET THIS!
I went to Control Panel and add Remove Programs and looked at the size of Programs before removing the 2008 piece of trash.

Family Tree Maker Program (v.10) was listed as 1.81 MB in size - that's just the program.
Family Tree Maker 2008 Program is listed as 365.00 MB in size - just the program.

My whole Microsoft Office 2003 Small Package which includes at this point:
Excel
Word
Publisher
and
Powerpoint
is 295 MB - just the programs.

What the Heck have they done - Yeah for sure they revamped it - ridiculous - I removed Family Tree Maker 2008.

NOW GET THIS:

I asked to uninstall Family Tree Maker 2008. Bare in mind, I ordered the newly released version not BETA on 8/16/2007.

The Uninstall Wizard Started and I chose uninstall all features - and the wizard proceeded to do so.

While progress bar was running for the uninstall it read above it.

"Family Tree Maker BETA is performing the requested operation"

DUH!

You gotta love it.

[Matthew Bridges]

I have been using FTM for about 10 years now and I cannot believe the genealogy report is not in this version. I used the Beta version, then paid for the new one, thinking it must be in the official release. Although, the concept of everything you can do seems to be in the right direction, how in the world can they leave the genealogy reports out???? To me that would be like Microsoft forgetting or neglecting to put Windows Explorer in their operating system. Very dissappointed over here regarding something so necessary/expected.

[Sandy Coulter]

I received my copy of FTM 2008 last week and have been playing around with it for several days now. I installed it on my laptop, and not on my desktop where my Family Tree Maker databases reside. I opened one of my files using FTM 2008 on the laptop. While the graphical interface is taking a bit of "getting used to", I've found most things work pretty well. Granted the new program size is astounding, but I suspect a great part of that is due to the new maps features and the media section. I love the maps feature! I even found places in England; Initially I thought only the USA would be covered. Those with older PC's with small memory,disk space and slower processor speed may have problems with that. I played with the websearch feature and was pleased to see that I could select specific items that were found and not arbitrarily merge everything. for the ancestor tested, the web search found a marriage certificate and a census record in England. The sources plugged right into my database without my having to enter them manually. I am OK with all of the reports and charts. However, I think I will miss the "Book" feature of the old software. I cannot find anything to match it so far in the new version.

[Imo Greenwood]

I have had FTM since their beginning , Broderbund Software, Blue Banner Division, version 1.0 and loved it, until version 2005. I bought it, resd a lot of complaints, I NEVER DID INSTALL IT. Thank goodness, the last version I installed is 11, and had some problems with it. I still have the Floppy Discs the original program started with.

I finally got my fathers ancestors and my mothers ancestors books formatted and published, even had some trouble there.

But got good help from FTM problems web site from, H, R. Worthington.
FTM team help.

I do not think FTM is worth looking at anymore, thanks for all the negative posts about it.

[Sandy Coulter]

I must modify my earlier statement about the reports from FTM 2008. Initially I thought I could get a genealogy report from the new software, but found it is not included along with the other reports provided. Also, the outline descendants report does not provide the ability to modify the content. I use both the outline descendants and genealogy reports very frequently. I do NOT want to do anything online with publishing at this point in my research.

[Larry Chesebro']

Dear Mr. Eastman,

You, maybe unknowingly, are doing an extreme dis-service to the many of us previously depending on your reviews of genealogy software products by not performing an actual review of FTM 2008!

Many people are now spending $40 to continue "beta testing" a new genealogy software program - not Family Tree Maker. The purchased version, if still being offered, does not even contain the tried and tested ancestral and descendant reports. Even new high powered computers require many more minuted, if not hours to even open the application, much less process in less than an hour a GEDCOM with more than 30,000 to 40,000 individuals.

Can there be any doubt when even The Genealogy Network contacts acknowledge a "fix" is required to add missing features.

The FTM forums are filled with horror stories from those having received their copies of FTM 2008. Sadly, throughout the official public Beta test period, too many responders to those with genuine concerns re FTM 2008 beta rc1 kept saying that no one should worry about the final version and that the newly designed, not updated, version of Family Tree Maker (FTM 2008) would be so much better. They are really "eating crow" now!

I and others have tried to communicate how badly designed and coded FTM 2008 would be if issued in August. Our effort has been a service to protect the unsuspecting buyer. http://FamilyTreeMaker.chesebro.info continues the online effort but until respected WEB persons like you join the battle, more people will continue to buy the proverbial "pig-in-the-poke".

Please Mr. Eastman, perform a test and issue your honest comments.

[Dick Eastman]

I have not yet received a review copy although I did experiment with the beta version a bit.

- Dick Eastman

[jack harrower]

i bought ftm 2008 when i moved my first file over i found out that it changed my marrage date from april to sept. also it would not move my other file over came up with unknown error. when i called them they said they knew about the no transfer and they were working on it. but didn't know about it changing dates. i have over 20,000 name on my file and i am not going to check them all!! i called and got an ra # and sent it back. i would have expected them to try and keep me as a customer but no they were not interested in me as a customer. just said send it back and oh well!! so i did.

[Merry Hill]

What a total disappointment and waste of money! I'm trying to be open-minded, after using FTM since it's creation. My primary gripe is the poor integration of the "web search." Their attempt to squeeze everything onto one page doesn't work, and the flashing/loading of search results takes forever and half the time freezes.

What a shame. It's so far from being ready to put on the market. Let's petition for a refund!

[Ginny in Poughkeepsie]

I am now the owner of V. 16 and it is where I will stay for quite some time.

Still waiting for a reply from Ancestry as to how I can go about getting a refund on the 2008 version since the website says I can have one if not completely satisfied - not only was I not completely satisfied but was nearly 100% dissatisfied with the 2008 version - 2008 is uninstalled and waiting to be returned once instructions on how to so along with confirmation that a refund will be issued - V.16 is up and running and seems to be a much more desirable program for long-time FTM users - 2008 definitely belongs in the Trash Heap.

I noticed a message on a 2008 website that 2008 would not be available in stores till October 2007 - so I took the chance local stores would still have V. 16 and yes they did $29.99 for the essentials version - what a bargain.

Since I have no desire to match and merge anything from Ancestry on the WWW - V.16 meets all my criteria and I have done my best to disable any functions having to do with the WWW and Ancestry.

I'm not an idiot and anything I want to include from Ancestry in my program or the notes - I can do myself manually which is the way I like it.

The Program - Just the Program please without all the rest of the garbage Ancestry is trying to push on me.

[Clair Allen]

Wow! What gripping reading! I started at the beginning of the comments on FTM 2008 and could not stop until I had reached the last comment posted today. I am not an FTM user, but I know a number of people who are, and I considered buying 2008 to add to the other genealogy programs on my computer I work with from time to time. But now I won't buy this product, and I feel I need to let my friends know that they should read these comments before they make a final decision on "upgrading?" to the latest (note I did not say "best") version. Dick, thanks for making this forum available.

[David Starling]

I installed FTM 2008 on Win.Vista PC. The program does not connect to the internet at all for me. Also it's printer functions do not work. As near as I can tell all the other functions are working properly. I have looked at the features and I like them. I think the report features should be revamped to be more in line with previous versions. I still have FTM 2006 installed on my computer. I will use both versions until an upgrade comes along with the best of both versions. I believe that if they work out the bugs and improve some features this will be a dynamite version. I will be patient. Rome wasnt built in a day.

[Richard Belding Gilbert]

I'm glad I found this blog!

Thanks to what I've read here plus the ads describing the new features, I will NOT purchase FTM 2008.

Many months ago I sent some requests for new features. I thought the new features were needed, and I thought I had explained the needs well. No response. I didn't really expect one but I hoped some attention would be given to my needs.

I have a family file with slightly more than 19,000 individuals. My needs mostly have to do with the ability to locate individuals in the file in various ways. Thanks to my ancestors appalling lack of imagination when it came to naming their offspring I have more than four hundred men named William Belden/Belding/Beldin/Beldon.

If I want the William who married a woman named Mary, how do I find him? You guessed it! Sequential search through all 400+!!! Just to add to the pain, I must search four times; once for each variant spelling. If I want William Belden/etc born in 1814? You guessed it. Sequential search. If it were just William I could, maybe, live with the problem. But no! I have hundreds of Johns, Samuels, etc, etc.

My proposed solution was a page that looked like a family page, where I could enter what I knew about an individual and his/her relatives and ask for matches. It's the sort of thing a computer can do zippity-zap.

Another thing I asked for was the ability to find a person named "Leon" without also finding "Leona" and "Leonard".

I've resorted to using a second genealogy program, Roots Magic, to give me a different view of my database, reports I can't get from FTM, etc. I also use a program called GenSmarts to point out things like places that don't exist, or where I misspelled "Tennessee".

[Cynthia L.]

Oh, how I wish I'd read this before I ordered FTM 2008. I have a newer computer with gamer level processors and memory (my husband) and it can barely open the application- forget about doing any work. I plan to try to get my money back but I don't have high hopes. I'm going back to FTM 2006 and am considering changing programs for the first time ever. How in the world would someone think it was a good idea to remove the reports?

Ancestry's doing a great job!

[Native]

Wow! I wish I had read this before I purchased FTM 2008. I liked the idea that when you start to type in a place it has a list to choose from. I loaded the program and could not believe how slow it is. At first I thought it was the user. LOL! I just uninstalled it. I'm now back to FTM 2006. Is V.16 worth purchasing?

[Ginny in Poughkeepsie]

If you are a long time FTM user I would say that V.16 is definitely worth purchasing.

I have often heard of the superiority of TMG and have considered switching. Each time I inquired of its import features I was told my pictures which are I guess you would say are "embedded" in FTM would not be brought over to TMG - at this point I have 340 pictures in FTM.

I will say the one and only feature of FTM 2008 that I liked was that it brought over the "embedded" pictures - "un-embedded" them and saved them as media___.jpg files so they were no longer "embedded" which is as I understand it a better way of handling images in a program. However the many other missing features in FTM 2008 and the functionality of FTM 2008 totally turned me off.

FTM2008 is totally different from previous versions of FTM - long time FTM users will be very dismayed and I fear new users might inadvertently publish information on the internet that they never wished to publish - As a Longtime user of FTM my personal opinion is that The Generations Network (including but limited to Ancestry) have ruined what started out as a great program that started out small, grew with its users as a user friendly program, and now has been ruined in an effort to gain profits for "The Generations Network" at the expense of a dedicated user group that will purchase 2008 thinking it will follow in the footsteps of previous versions which is not so.

Why would Ancestry release a Program without Register & Ahnentafel reports to begin with. Ancestry had a wedding and forgot all about the Bride. Now some others are saying the reports will be offered as an upgrade because those report functions were not ready to be released - Poobah - it shouldn't have been released then. Besides now, if anyone used the Book Function in previous versions - the only way they can make a book in FTM 2008 is to publish it on line - just another way of the Big Guys wanting to capture what resides on your PC.

[Ron]

Over the years I have added several user defined fact fields and when I ran the Family Group Sheet under the “Reports” section of FTM version 16 the reports appears correct. Using FTM 2008 I went to Publish / Person report / Individual Report in FTM 2008 and find a nick name of “Union Cemetery”, degree “1930 in New Kensington ….” Am I the only one with this type of problem?

[Bruce]

Remember the ad campaign “It’s not your father’s Oldsmobile", when GM changed everything that their loyal owners had loved over the years and hyped the advantages of a technologically advance auto that was a sad sad excuse for an auto that anybody wanted? That move was the kiss of death for the Oldsmobile linage.
Well, Family Tree Maker 2008 is not your father's Family Tree Maker. All previous versions back to my original Banner Blue version were indeed Family Tree Maker programs. The program I received that was to be a far superior technological advanced Family Tree Maker Program is also a sad sad excuse for a genealogy program that has nothing to offer that anybody would want that I can see? This move will be the kiss of death for Family Tree Maker as a genealogy program.
If you like or have liked Family Tree Maker up through Family Tree Maker 2006, version 16, then be aware that this program only bears the name of what you have liked in the past versions of Family Tree Maker.
It appears that they couldn't even get the new program to read the old program files themselves. A close examination will reveal that the "new" program is actually being converted into the new no compatable file format by a program credited to Wholly Genes that owns The Master Genealogist. To me this new program appears as a kindergarten attempt to copy the basic looks of TMG without any of its useful features, which obviously Family Tree Maker users up to this point have had no desire for or they would have purchase TMG and not FTM.
If I could think of anything positive about the new program experience I would say so, but there is no redeeming features at all that I have found in the new and different file format program issued as Family Tree Maker 2008.
Like I said Family Tree Maker 2008 is "not your father's" genealogy program. Don't be mislead and do NOT buy Family Tree Maker 2008 is my advise.

[Patricia]

FTM 2008 is a total disaster. Not only was it next to impossible to install, it took forever to open and to mangle the FTM 16 files I attempted to import (one of which has 40,000+ individuals). All my books were lost, as well as the most recent additions in the notes' fields. After getting the message "Authentication with the server failed," I called support. That was a joke. The "tech" hadn't a clue when I read off the error report, saying that she thought it was the fault of my firewall, not their program. I had disabled MSN's security, but that didn't register with her! After two days, miracle of miracles, I was able to gain access to search the web. That lasted one day; and when I tried to upload data to "publish," FTM did not recognize my user name and password, although I had no problem accessing my Ancestry.com subscription directly!
Not being able to save .pdf files or print reports and books from my computer, or read the yards of FTM CD's I own, renders this program worthless as far as I'm concerned. I'm going to return my copy of 2008, and have managed to save several others from the mistake of ordering it. After having bought every upgrade from this program's inception and always finding progress, I'm so disgusted now that I won't trust FTM with my data again. Those people need to get back to the drawing board! TMG, here I come.

[Nanci]

I was also a longtime user of FTM and unfortunately now an unwitting Beta tester. The program has never found its way to the internet. I went to all the knowledge based articles, tried all they recommended. Even my network engineer husband couldn't get it to work. Without this I can't get patches to repair the many other reported problems. Every post Ancestry makes tries to point the finger at someone's firewall or operating system. After reading other's problems with importing info I won't invest any more time or frustration. I'm calling to find out how to return it and looking for a new program.

[Dewey]

Mr. Eastman: Since you made the press release post on August 14, 2007, and considering the weight your evaluations carry, it would be a public service to the genealogy community to do a comparison of a real file or reasonable size, say 25,000 individuals (you can test with mine if you like with 130,000 individuals). Give a features comparative to any previous version of Family Tree Maker back to Banner Blue or up to Family Tree Maker 2006, version 16 to the new program being offered. There appears to be little to no happy campers among the previous users of the newly released product you permitted the glowing press release for. Blogers carry little weight in the real world, but your opinion would if it were a real world fair test of an actual existing Family Tree Maker file of reasonable size comparing features to features...Ease of use to ease of use...File format to file format...Import time to import time...results of file imported, etc. Thanks for any consideration from the recent users of Family Tree Maker to those of us that go back to 15+ year time frame as I and many others do.

[Nanc]

Thank you all for alerting me to FTM2008's problems. I upgraded from FTM2006 to FTM16 when I had to purchase a new computer which came with the dreaded VISTA, another complete software failure we are forced to use, but guess what? All the patches and instructions FTM gives to use FTM16 with Vista also failed after several attempts even after all my firewalls were disabled! I kept getting messages I wasn't connected to the internet when I most certainly was. I finally gave up on it until I saw and heard from friends that FTM2008 was now compatible with Vista and offered more features than FTM16. I ordered a copy on-line but after hearing all the nightmares and not being able to do books,reports,etc. I am cancelling it. I don't need more frustration, Vista is enough!

[Scott Neil]

I too have been using Family Tree Maker for several years. Before my failed attempt at installing FTM 2008 I was (am) using FTM 2006. It works just great, thus the reason for upgrading. I was hoping for better internet access. So far, I have been sadly disappointed. The install went poorly and subsequent uninstall-reinstalls later I am still disappointed. The Software appears to be working except of course the main issue that I cannot access the internet.

After several Tec support calls I was told that my firewall is at issue. With 10+ years of PC and Network support under my belt, I know that there is some other issue at work here. I have tried the PATCH, the registry repair, booting to safe mode with network and disabling my firewall all to no avail.

I believe that there is a bug in the software because if FTM 2008 is running I am unable to surf the web.

I will patient wait for a fix to the problem because I think the 2008 version will prove to be a good addition. I hope I'm not disappointed on this level too.

[JK]

I have to say that after reading all the posts here that I am very glad I did NOT try out the Beta version of FTM 2008. I only changed over to FTM v.16 a couple months ago after having Generations Liberty Version (which was very good to me). When I got a new computer (with XP and not Vista thankfully) and since Generations no longer exists I had to find a good program, v.16 was it. I will not be upgrading or changing for a long time. I am very happy with the version of FTM I currently have and after reading all the negative posts about parts missing from the new version, I'll wait till they figure out that they really screwed up releasing the latest version so quickly before they had a change to read all these comments.

On a side note, I had the same tech support problem when I had basic internet connection trouble. So much so that the person who had no clue what she was doing had me change my password (the modem I use needs to know about a password change every time which I didn't know about) and once i did that everything else was messed up. Needless to say that mess was resolved by someone who actually KNEW what they were talking about.

If it ain't broke don't fix it and don't buy FTM 2008

[Chuck Bright]

I installed FTM 2008 on Monday and returned it today. I have been a long time user of Family Treemaker software and found FTM 2008 to be a big step backwards. I was always one of the first to buy upgrades of this software without ever doing any research. I always was able to trust that they would provide an improved product. That trust has been broken and I would no longer make such a purchase from this company until I was able to read a multitude of good reviews from the genealogy community. I have read where some are keeping the software expecting improvements to be made in the near future. I feel that is an option that only reinforces poor software provider performance. If you want to see improvements, "return to sender".

I wonder if the provider of this software understands that it has both a product disaster and a public relations disaster on its hands? They need to act quickly and drastically to turn this around taking such actions to reimbursing customers for their shipping costs when the product is returned, pulling the software from the market until it is ready for prime time and apologizing to its loyal customer base.

[PaulB]

Well, you USA folk should come to Australia, where the software is $100. Imagine how ripped off we feel....

[Lucy MacLeod]

I really wish I had not bought FTM 2008. I find it very user unfriendly. I find reports that you would format in the 2007 edition to show ancestors or descendants. It is a lot of fluff and not much substance. I also have a problem because it won't recognize the fact that my parents were 5th cousins and my husband and I are 10th cousins. It keeps saying that my great aunt is my 3rd cousin. The facts are as they were in the 2007, but it is terrible. I don't know if it is returnable, but I have to go back to 2007.

[Lucy MacLeod]

Sorry my above post should have read I cannot find reports that you could format in the 2007 edition to find ancestors or descendants and then print out or save a report on that person.

[Lucy MacLeod]

I wish I had done my homework before I installed FTM2008. I just uninstalled it after reading your blogs and I thank you all. They can keep the leaves and backgrounds, I want the facts.

[Seb]

I'm so upset and dissapointed with FTM 2008, where is the fan style charts???! I will uninstall it and keep the 2006.-

[DWP]

Long time FTM user and in the software business. I've seen this before in software....someone at a high level in the company either was convinced that a total redesign was needed to add "cool stuff" OR someone at a high level is totally unaware of what would happen with the FTM 2008 release.

Word of mouth and community is what FTM should be concerned about. The genealogy market wants reliable, usable, intuitive, flexible. Forget Codie awards, forget press releases... This is an evergreen product. If they continue adding solid functionality to enhance existing usability (like needed boolean searching, more configurability, report layouts, etc)... they will continue getting maintenance as well as new users as more people get the genealogy bug, especially with the interest in DNA technology.

There will always be some grumbling with any program changes... but removing functions is example of a company that may be in trouble -- either from a product mgmt/programming/QA perspective or perhaps they purposely are "scaling" back to reduce functionality for financial reasons. What will be interesting is to see how long they continue support FTM16 and how they deal with this current problem.

[Seb]

Am I wrong or all the fan charts are gone?? If they are, FTM 2008 is kind a fraud.

[William Johnson]

I have the same problem some of your other readers had. The 2008 version will not import the old Ver 16 FTM files. Of course this makes the new version worthless as all my information is in my notes and to just import a GEDCOM would be useless. I sent them an email and we will see what they say. I got the same "Unknown Error Message" your reader did. If he or she had any luck getting a fix I would love to hear from them if they got a fix. Thanks.

[Linda I. Caldwell]

I was using FTM 2005 on my desktop with Windows 2000 Professional and on my laptop with Windows XP, both without a hitch. When I loaded FTM 2005 on my new desktop with Vista, the book function did not work. The rest of the program worked fine. But the book function was so important to me that I pre-ordered FTM 2008 because it was advertised that it worked with Vista. I expected to get a version with a workable book function and a few added bells and whistles that FTM usually adds to its new releases. I did not investigate on-line blogs because I had come to trust FTM after using it 10+ years.
When I loaded the new program Friday, what can I say? Not only was the book function gone, but other reports were so totally lacking in options, they were laughable. The worst part was FTM’s oft-displayed menu buttons for you to GIVE YOUR DATA to THEM, to do with as they pleased, according to the agreement you had to sign off on. Shame, shame, shame.
But in addition to providing your outrage here, be sure to write them at ‘pr@myfamilyinc.com'. Here’s what I wrote them today …
"I am a 10+ year user of Family Tree Maker.
Here’s my evaluation of FTM 2008 which I received Friday …
Disgraceful … for all the reporting capabilities of previous versions which are omitted or so totally lacking in options that they are laughable.
Shameful … for the many, many embedded menu options for users to GIVE ownership of their data to YOU.

When you get it fixed, please be sure to advertise that. Until then, I’m going to mail the 3 disk set back to you, so that I can resist the urge to burn them."

[Kate Reab]

I sadly ordered this product. I have been using FTM for the last several years. Imagine my dismay when I finally opened it and realized I was looking at... Legacy almost screen for screen. It is cluttered, non-intuitive and frankly a mess to use. I use Legacy for the publishing capabilities only and honestly it does a much better job since it resides on my computer and not someones web site. I have removed it and will continue to use my old FTM. I have no desire to do someone else's research for them or for FTM.

Sad that they did this to what was a good product.

[Richard Olson]

I have a large web site on the FTM site which I would not be able to access or update using the new 2008. That along with the lack of reports and the loss of ability to use old CDs has caused me to already take it off my desk top. I have wasted another $40 on a subpar Ancestry piece of software. They have carried on the poor work of 2006. Back to 16 the only decent piece of soft ware in the last 5 years from them.

[Willaim Patrick]

I wish I had read this sooner. I have used FTM for several years but have a real old version and made the sad decision to upgrade to 2008 ---- what a mess I have gotten myself into. I have spent several 100 hours trying to sort it out but I am going to give up and look for something else:
Below are a few of the things I ran into:
TM 2008
-There needs to be a utility that will validate the integrity of the data files.
-When adding a parent I have found it creates a new person record even though the spelling is exactly the same.
-Need someway to add relationships from the existing people file if one already exists.
-many times in the family window it will display both spouses and inconsistently fails to display the spouse or parents in the pedigree chart
even though the screen to the right indicates the correct relationship -- very confusing.
-frequent occurrence of a no spouse entered indication when below or above is the correct spouse and the indication is that there are two spouses.
-frequently closes down and has to be re executed when doing minor actions.

[Cheryl Baxter]

FTM 2008. What a disappointment!!! I had trouble installing it. Wouldn't install over FTM 16. I finally got it installed. Then I couldn't connect to internet to register product. My husband and I tried all the tricks we knew and none of them worked. Then I had trouble unistalling. Finally got it off of my computer and put FTM 16 back on.
I think FTM needs to RECALL this software!

[Ross]

What a blast, reading all these comments from disgruntled FTM users. I too started out with version 1 many years ago, and fought with Banner Blue and then Broderbund over their combined awful attitude toward customers, in favor of nothing but their own bottom line (as though the two were not somehow related). I abandoned FTM in favor of a far superior program called Reunion, which had been designed for the Mac and thus worked well with the newer Windows creations. It was also marketed by a superior brand of folks who understood their customers (being genealogists themselves, and not marketing jerks). Unfortunately, Reunion decided to forego the Windows market and concentrate on Mac, so sold the Windows part, which then became Generations, still a better program than FTM by virtue of its Reunion heritage. All this drove many users to The Master Genealogist, the best of all, but too complicated for many users. Then, Generations was sold to (guess who!) Ancestry, the new owners of FTM, and who continued FTM to it's present disgusting state at the expense of the best genealogy program ever created (Reunion, Generations). Now, the funny thing is that many Generations users refuse to abandon their program even though it is no longer supported by anyone except user groups. And to top it all off, the last (pre-WinXP) version still worked fine on XP and also on Vista. Amazing, no? So I'm still using an "antique" version of Generations which does the job without pain. FTM? Never again, and your current experiences just prove me right. TMG is still the best, though too complex for many users. Legacy is good. But someday, I think, I will just buy a Mac and go back to Renuion, which I understand is still marketed and supported by people who care about their customers, and let that drift to their bottom line, instead of the other way around.

[Tammy McQueen]

I wish I had read these before I bought the new version........ I can not live without the geneolgy reports. I use that the most of anything in FTM. Funny thing is I went to the tutorial and they have geneology reports if you look closing in the screen shots. So exactly where did it go and did they really ask the people that LOVED FTM before they came out with this verison. I find it AWFUL. I think who ever decided on these changes have made a HUGE mistake on this version.

I am dieing with our the genealogy reports.

[Craig H. Trout]

I was shocked to find that FTM 2008 is no longer capable of doing the very basics, such as register and ahnentafel reports. The usefulness of the other core reports it still does provide, such as pedigree and descendancy charts, is significantly chilled by the near total removal of user options in designing what data elements to include in these remaining core reports.

The gee-whiz cluttered and complex new screen displays could be construed by some as a mark of sophistication or power computing, but this is all only a hollow shell if this genealogy software won't even do the most basic register and ahnentafel genealogy reports. All the whistles, bells, and enhanced Internet interface are of limited importance if at the end of the day, a software will no longer do many of the core basic functions expected of any mainstream genealogy software.

* The ability to effectively summarize your research for yourself and others is the true end game of doing family research in the first place.

Video-gamers, Internet devotees and others who become positively giddy over whistles and bells will love this new software, but many experienced family researchers and genealogists will find many major disappointments, especially when trying to do the very basics, such as summarizing their research.

I was so deeply disappointed in the significant loss of core functionality that I uninstalled FTM 2008 and went back to FTM 16 so I could once again do the things I do most often.

That is why I buy genealogy software in the first place.

CHT in Virginia

[Paula Kelley Ward]

I'm glad I decided to wait, and very glad I read all these comments, before purchasing FTM 2008. I've been a FTM user since version 1. I have been using FTM16 and I definitely won't purchase 2008. But I have to wonder, as mentioned above by DWP: how long will they support FTM16??? I'll use 16 as long as I can, but if the support vanishes, I'll look for another genealogy program. I've heard good things about Roots Magic from a respected genealogist.
Thanks for all the commentary, and thank you, Dick Eastman, for providing this service.

[Henrietta McClellan]

When are they going to include iMac. There are a lot of us iMac users out there doing genealogy research. They and Ancestry.com need to stop discriminating against us.

[Cindy Rowzee]

You can install FTM 2008 on your computer and keep the older version. I am running both 2008 and 16 right now. (just make a copy of your files to play around with in 2008 until you feel you are ready to make the plunge.) From the sounds of it they will be constantly upgrading 2008 so I am curious to see what they add to fix some of the problems that are mentioned. I have not had any problems with 2008 yet but admitedly have not done a whole lot with it.

[Doug TUCK-Walker]

With all the storied comments above I add this. I use Heredis for Mac heavily and have to date entered 8000 individuals, 500 sources, and over 800 images and love it. http://www.myheredis.com Its intuitive, easy to use, and a pleasure to work with. Has a great feature to place bookmarked individuals which I use to track all the family members I have contacted as well as those critical individuals I am currently working on. All the reports and graphic outputs one might need (with the exception of very large wall tiled versions which can be output via OnePageGenealogy as example) and their tech support has been forthright and pleasant to work with. It has extensive search features which allows you to jump around with ease. And it has a nice GUI which is essential for most Mac users.

So take another look at this fine Mac genealogy software. http://www.myheredis.com/reviews.html

Oh, did I say tis not a memory hog nor has it ever crashed? Nuff said.

[Tracey]

I've been a loyal Family Tre Maker user since Version 6. I bought the 2008 version in July because I had accidentally uninstalled my V. 16 (long story) and couldn't find the original install disk. I had no idea it was going to take a month to arrive -- in fact, the standard confirmation email I received online indicated that it would be shipped in days. When it didn't arrive two weeks later, I followed the link to check on the status, but there was nothing informative. I was getting frustrated, because I had found some significant documents I wanted to record, and I had no way to do it!

The software finally arrived last week and I installed it last night. I was a little concerned when it talked about having to convert my existing file, but I went ahead (fortunately, I backed up first). I poked around in it for a while. I HATE IT, HATE IT, HATE IT!!! The product lacks many features that I used frequently and took for granted. The interface is not remotely intuitive and seems to require too many clicks to see or edit what you want.

Thank you to the person who pointed out that the old version is still in stores! I am going to rush out and buy it before it's too late! And I will make several back-up copies and keep them all over the place so I never lose it again and get stuck at the mercy of this horrible new product!

[Dick Eastman]

---> When are they going to include iMac?

There are several good Macintosh genealogy programs available today.I'd suggest you investigate one of those. It may be a long, long time before any of today's producers of Windows genealogy software will ever bring out a Macintosh version. The primary reason is that it costs too much to produce and support two programs simultaneously. Most of these companies prefer to focus on one or the other.

You can find reviews of a number of Macintosh genealogy programs in past issues of this newsletter.

- Dick Eastman

[Kathleen]

I'm a real novice at genealogy and have been using V.16, so ordered V.2008 thinking newer is better. Silly me! As soon as I saw it, I thought, "Wow!, how clean everything looks and I loved the map section. THEN I realized it didn't have some features that V.16 has which I really liked. So, long story short, after fooling around with it for a while, I disinstalled it and am using V.16 completely. I did only pay $30.00, so don't feel too ripped off, but multiply that times how many people and what do you get?

[Athena]

I for one, am very glad that The Generations Network made the beta available publicly. I tried it and realized that I should just wait for the next version.

If you paid for FTM2008 and don't like it, be sure to return it and get your money back.

[Monica Biggar]

I would not recommend purchasing FTM2008 at this time. I purchased it and agree with many of the previous comments. It is slow in moving from data screen to data screen, slow searching for individuals. I have about 23,000 individuals in my file, which previous versions have had no trouble in processing. I had trouble loading it, with error messages and had to try a second time. When I started checking data screens on some of my more complicated individuals, some data is missing (some lines that were available on previous versions are gone and as yet I am unable to find them)and within some of the source screens, only partial information was copied from my previous version (which worries me more, as I would not know what info disappeared and what partial info was retained). I installed the first patch that Ancestry released recently, started again with a new reinstall (which gave me an error message and I had to try a second time). Some of the missing information has shown up after removing and reinstalling the program, but other information is still missing or partial.

I will continue to use FTM2005 or perhaps buy the V.16 that everyone seems happy with. Ancestry is supposed to release another patch in October. The program was clearly released too quickly before proper testing.

[Gary Violette]

I only recently upgraded to the previous version and had problems with it, so I was eager to upgrade. It never occurred to me that the new version would be S-------------------L------------------O----------------------W----------------------and unexpectedly stop working altogether.
The accompanying "postcard" disc is a joke -- most of the images are indexed in the WRONG states! Does ancestry.com even look at their products before shipping?

[Tracey]

Whew! Just found the $29.99 Essentials version of V. 16 at Office Depot. Now all I have to do is get rid of all the crap 2008 left behind.

FYI: As someone else mentioned, the uninstall utility for my 2008 says it's a beta. Sloppy, sloppy, sloppy. Now I get to try to get a refund on 2008. The problem: they only give refunds if you return the product with the packing slip, but there was no packing slip. They also require you to use the return label on the packing slip that wasn't there.

Anybody interested in a class action against these con artists?

[Teresa Martin Klaiber]

Thank Dick Eastman and each and every one who have contributed with comments. I have faithfully kept up with each version so that I could easily work with anyone [client and family] with other versions. At some point in life we have to call a halt to version up grades and new releases that sell fluff. We are foremost researchers who can write our own publications without computer generated spat out data. - we don't need to merge other people's web sites, or others work- the purpose of the program should be to organize our own documewnted research. Thank you thank you thank you I will not be upgrading to this new not better software.

[Dayle Dooley]

I have only upgraded twice I still have FTM 7.0 from 1999 from Banner Blue! It appears I should go out at V16 before they are gone. Thank you all the comments about FTM2008, don't think I will go there.

[Bill McKibben]

Wow! Thanks for this preview. I would have been devistated. No books? My interest is in books, a search back to the late 1700's and then the progeny as complete as possible with lots of pictures. They make great gifts to distant cousins. It wouldn't be much without a register and lots of notes! Thanks again Dick! Bill McK

[Stuart]

It is incomprehensible to me that the people responsible for this software permitted the release of a half finished product. They have released one service pack already and will surely have to release more if anyone is ever going to use this program. The import from FTM 2006 was a complete disaster. Many photos didn't import at all, others were rearranged in a strange order and the photo assigned to print for trees appear to have been randomly generated. An installed base of millions of FTM users will soon be looking for another product. I for one would welcome suggestions.

[Steve]

I've been using FTM for years and FTM 2008 is a real step backwards. To me it's more confusing and I have to keep changing tabs just to look at the same info that the older version have on one screen. Most of all...S-L-O-W!!!

[San]

I did download and try the beta version this past summer and I decided right then and there that I would not upgrade to the 2008 version (I've been using FTM since version 2). I really dislike the layout of it as well as...

- I didn't like that you couldn't print a book anymore - they expect you to upload your data to the internet to publish a book (as if I'll give them access to my data so that they could probably eventually release it to the public via subscription or some other way to make money off our research).
- Half of the people in my file lost their sources going to the new version
- My favorite reports were gone
- The size of my data file doubled in size without adding more people/info to it.
- no ability to view FTM CDs
- But mostly I really dislike the way it looks. It's not user friendly at all. I originally chose FTM back at version because I loved the layout and now it's like a completely different program.

If I have to learn a different program I might as well go out and find one that I find user friendly and has a layout I like. I too am staying with ver 16. I am not worried about them not supporting it because in all the years I have used FTM I never once called them for support. I will use it until it no longer works on my computer for whatever reason and then I will go and buy another genealogy program from another company as there are many out there to choose from.

Reading above I was shocked to read how they only give refunds if you return the product with the packing slip and using the return label but don't include either - that is so unprofessional on their part - that's like stealing money. This company has really gone downhill.

The only thing they did good with this version was releasing a beta version this past summer for us to try out, otherwise even more people would have bought it and been extremely disappointed.

This used to be such a great company back in the Banner Blue and Broderbund days, it's amazing how much they have gone downhill.

[Lauren]

I have had it up to here with FTM 2008! Upon reading everyone's messages, the immediate thought was, "Wow, everyone is having exactly the same problems I have been having!" I have contacted the help line at Ancestry over and over again for assistance and besides being put on hold for twenty minutes or so at a clip, in the end what happens? They tell me that the problem is with my machine! Has anyone been able to resolve anything (besides the patch in the very beginning that did minimal good)?
Lauren

[Lauren]

I hate to post comments twice in a row, but they told me that if I were to try to bring my data back to the FTM 2006, I should just switch it to a gedcom file and it would work fine. Oh well, so much for that! I tried it and the program crashed just like when you try to merge a document in! It is almost like they don't want you going back to the old version! I am so mad right now!

[Patty McCormack]

Hi Dick, I can't thank you enough for posting these comments. It's clear this product wasn't ready for release and doesn't meet the needs to those using FTM. Since I never installed my copy of FTM2008, I was unaware of the size and the slowness of the program itself.

I'll be pulling my ads for this product. I can understand the genealogy community being upset with TGN and I don't want them upset with me too.

Peace to you and those you love,
Patty McCormack
Founder, Immigrant Ships Transcribers Guild

[Lauren]

So I attempted to contact the Ancestry help line today to resolve some of the issues at hand, and the outcome was that which I have had from the beginning of FTM 2008 - they told me once again that the problems with 'product instability' (i.e. the thing crashes on me regularly) are because of things that I am doing, not because of problems with the program itself. That sounds good to me - blame it on the user.
Lauren

[Margo]

Alas, I, too, loaded FTM 2008 with near disastrous results. Computers froze; programs crashed; data disappeared. Even the training video didn't work. I uninstalled and returned. Wish I'd read the blog first!

[Vince]

Here's a ray of hope for refunds. As Tracy reported on September 9, my shipment of FTM 2008 came in late August with no packing slip. But two customer service reps (Kathy and Jamin in separate calls) at Ancestry (1-800-262-3787) confirmed this morning that I will get a full refund of the $29.95 I paid for the product if I return it in the original packaging with an RMA number consisting of "RMA" plus my order number written on the package. We'll see. Thanks to all posters for confirming the problems I noticed with FTM 2008. I have not used a previous version myself but saw no way to create charts I'd seen from a friend using version 16. Glad to know I'm not crazy. The good news is that Amazon seems to still be selling FTM 16, including the Standard, Deluxe, and Collector's editions which come with 6, 9 or 12 months of free access to Ancestry.com databases.

[John F. Jones]

When I called FTM for a refund for FTM2008, they requested that I include some comments about why I was returning it. Here they are...

Why I am returning FTM 2006 for a refund.....

“Family Tree Maker 2008 represents a new strategic direction for the software and provides a robust platform for future development”. (quote from your email of 09/07/07)

In general, the “new direction” lacks most of the functionality of FTM16 beyond the most basic and has virtually NO improvements. The new platform may be easier for YOUR future development, but this is of no interest to me as a consumer. And if it is easier for you to develop with, then why such limited functionality? Frankly, I think someone sold you a bill of goods... i.e. “your old program code is obsolete; it is full of patches and spaghetti code”, “ .NET will solve all these problems”, “we can rewrite the new release from scratch in just a few months” and of course, “we can’t meet the deadlines, so we will release it with some reduced functionality”.

Why would you possibly think your customers would accept a new release that was much worse than the previous release? Promises of reintroducing old features sometime in the future won’t do it. Let me know when you have a real release. As a long time user of FTM I am exceptionally disappointed in your performance.

To be specific:

1. The genealogy reports (register, NGS Quarterly, Ahnentafel) are not included in FTM 2008.

2. The Outline Descendant report is there but has no report options button (little green button) to choose the facts to include on the report.

3. The Outline Descendant report that is there lacks an ability to select people to include on the report.

4. The charts are limited to a 1 pedigree chart, 1 descendant chart and 1 new relationship chart versus 9 chart options in FTM 16.

5. The functionality available in FTM 16 to click on an individual in a chart and have the ability to pull up the edit screen and navigate to the family view for that individual is not available. If the name is clicked on, nothing happens.

6. There is no Find individual selection box in the Kinship report. To view individuals in the kinship report, you must scroll down and then the click person option is not available to select the individual to quickly navigate to the family view.

7. The Kinship report contains invalid relationships for in-laws. For example if my 2nd great grandfather is selected, my spouse will appear as a grandfather in law rather than husband of great grandniece or at least a valid description.

8. The ability to copy a report through copy and paste action is not available in FTM 2008. You must export the report to be able to copy and paste it to a Word document.

9. There is no data errors report.

10. There is no calendar function..

11. The ability to create labels/cards is no longer there.

12. The index does not contain an ability to sort on female married names or aka.

13. There is not a Find function to find middle names on an index.

14. There is no Find and Replace function to easily make multiple corrections with the data fields and notes.

15. The offline book creation functionality is gone and Ancestry Press does not have all the book parts available online that were in FTM 16.

16. The descendant report lacks the ability to choose the from and to person and also an option for siblings to be displayed when the direct person to person option is chosen.

17. The user interface is challenging. It is completely different from other versions of FTM and far from intuitive. While this can be overcome, it will require a significant learning curve.

18. The automatic backup function is gone.

19. I expected with a complete rewrite that I would be able to grab and drag the whole tree to reposition my view. This is common with all map programs and PDFs. Using the side & bottom bars to reposition is primitive.

20. Almost all functions are noticeably slower. Not a lot slower, but enough to be annoying.

21. Notes are particularly awkward to use - they were very straight forward in FTM16.

22. I haven’t tried my data discs from FTM/Genealogy.com, but I have heard reports that they do not function with FTM2008 (another investment down the drain).

I hope you can fix these problems, for I have been a real fan of FTM, recommending it to everyone. I cannot recommend FTM2008 to anyone and will make sure everyone is aware of the problems it presents. Unfortunately, I suspect that having headed in this “new strategic direction”, you will never recover. I will watch your progress with interest and take the opportunity to see what the competition offers.

[Scott Sikes]

I too have been a loyal FTM user since Banner Blue days. So, I EAGERLY downloaded the Beta and imported my main file - oops error can't import my genealogy file. I tried many times but could never get 2008 to import my FTM v.16 file. And now, boy am I glad!!!

I am a project manager in a very large technology company. Red flags are going off left and right with what's going on here. I believe the 'business side' has won out over the 'application/product side' at Ancestry. They have released their Beta Candidate prematurely and have made a business decision to forgo their current customer base and squarely go after new customers during the coming holiday season.

Red Falgs...

1. I've been a FTM user since the beginning and receive all Ancestry mailings but never received any announcements on 2008.

2. Why would they not send out evaluation copies to well known genealogy sites like Eastman's?

3. Why is Ancestry not answering/addressing ALL their current user base issues of V.16 data files not converting to 2008? They've never answered my post on their web site or my email for help during the beta. Uhh, thats the point of a beta test, to flesh out issues and fix them in the next beta iterration.

Sad to say, they ahave shown they are more invested in a flashy point of sale display at Best Buy than they are on their current install base. It's a business decision to cut development costs and reinvent their application while forgoing their current install base. This is a decision technology companies make all the time (spend their development dollars supporting legacy base (us) versus new customers . Face it, Ancestry wants to be first to market with 2008 prior to the holidays.

I think we will find this short term business strategy will burn them in the end as decade long loyal users are forced to go elsewhere to import their old (2006) FTM datafiles.

[jking]

Actually they don't need to send out the review copies to Dick.

They KNOW he's going to reprint their news release about the product - and that's what they really want in the first place.

If they send him a review copy they risk actually getting a review.

[Larry Grinnell]

Just bought FTM 2008 today. What a disappointment. It took some searching to find the letter from FTM explaining (spinning) about the lack of several reports from the product. Putting on my cynic's hat, I saw this new Ancestry Press nightmare like this:

1. Using this online publishing only "feature" to get all of our information into their databases, where our rights are pretty much gone.

2. This forces users to use Ancestry's "for pay 'service'" instead of permitting users to publish on their own. Adding user publishing features in the program denies Ancestry.com that potential revenue stream. Sounds like some business school grad's brainstorm, which again proves how much software companies hate their users.

The online registration system seems clearly broken. Clicking the Register link under the Help menu, a large error window popped up, stating it could not connect to the registration server. I went to the FTM help web page and did everything they said, and no good. I suspect part of that problem is that I am using a MacBook running Parallels/Windows XP Pro with all the latest patches, and their server didn't like something about it. I bypassed the firewall, I updated the whitelist, all to no avail. Even if Parallels isn't the problem, I suspect if I do submit a trouble report, based upon what I've read in this huge thread, they're going to give me a song and dance how it isn't Mac-compatible. Of course it's not--I'm running a virtual PC inside my Mac which has not had a single problem, even with touchy and trouble-prone programs. If anything, it runs faster and crashes less than my office Dell, but I digress...

This program is a complete trainwreck, feature-limited, bloated, and incredibly slow. The only good news is that the user interface looked interesting. I have not delved further into it because it is so otherwise useless.

I'd love to get the service pack, but if I can't register, sounds like I'm screwed.

Larry Grinnell

[Holger Zeranski]

I am a fan and customer of "Family Tree Maker" (actually using 2006) and have bought 3 oder 4 versions in the past 7 years. All worked great and it was fun to do the search for ancestors.
But when I downloaded and tested the brandnew Beta-Version of Family Tree Maker 2008, I was very disappointed about two things mainly:

1. Most of the charts I used to know in the old versions are now missing ! First I thought, it is just because of the beta version, but now I read in many articles, that this is also the case in the buy-version of FTM 2008. How can this happen ? Don`t they communicate with customers prior developing and making a new software version of FTM ?

2. The good old family view, I also used to know from all the other old FTM software, is now missing ? I am talking about the family view in which all the children all listed below while their father and mother is positioned on the left and right above them. This was and is still the best family view I have ever worked with !! Why did they drop it ? I am very upset about this.

But let me also say some words to positive changes:

- the look of the new program is fresh and friendly
- the use of interactive maps within the program is an excellent progress !
- also very, very important is that media files likes videos, photos and audio files have to be scanned or imported only once and can be allocated to many different persons. This saves a lot of PC-Power and capacity.

But, all in all, I won`t buy the new software, unless they have made necessary amendments - to add all additional charts and the old family view, that we all are used to know from the "good old fashioned" FTM-software (not to mention all the other bugs) !

I know, that I am not alone with my point of view, so they better hurry up and offer some service pack releases in order to avoid that Family Tree Maker will lose its rank as #1 in genealogy.

Thank you!

Best regards from Germany, Frankfurt/Main

Holger Zeranski

[Jay H. Simpson]

FTM 2008 has standarized place names (or so they say)which is an interesting concept. But how are these locations vetted? From what I can see a lot of their standardized places either don't agree with the MS Virtual Earth maps included in the same software package or locations are on the map, but are missing from from their standarized list. There is also no apparent way to use historical place names as found in old wills and deeds as place names unless you click on "ignore" on their place name wizard which then adds it to the "standardized list" making the list now not "standardized."

And what of the plugins (Tools > plugins > manage plugins)? What's planned for this function.. third party hooks? Cyrstal Reports? or more functionality we need to buy from them to have a fully functional software package?

It really too bad that Ancestry has not laid out a road map at the beginning of where they expect to take this product and in what time frame. But my rants may just be moot, because without the reports and functions that were in the previous versions, this product is DOA. BTW my daughter just graduated with a degree in marketing... What a case study for her of how to snooker a (formally)loyal client base with marketing hype.

[Marie]

"Whew! Just found the $29.99 Essentials version of V. 16 at Office Depot."

Ouch, I nabbed the V16 Collectors Edition here for only $20. Talk about a bargain!

http://store.purplus.net/fatrmacove16.html