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 Users can quickly find and import facts and historical documents about their family from the Internet and print custom-designed family trees and books.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 When connected to the Internet, Family Tree Maker 2008 automatically searches Ancestry.com for historical documents about the individuals in the user's family tree.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