Cliff Shaw is a prolific software developer and is well known as the founder of GenForum, GenCircles, and Pearl Street Software where he developed Family Tree Legends, a genealogy program for Windows. Now Cliff has joined FamilyLink.com, Inc. as its new lead developer. FamilyLink.com provides the FamilyLink social networking software as well as Word Vital Archives, an online database of both original and transcribed records.
Here is the announcement written by FamilyLink.com, Inc.:
Former founder of GenForum, GenCircles, and Family Tree Legends to help connect families on FamilyLink.com
PROVO, Utah, March 3 -- Former founder of numerous genealogy companies and products, Cliff Shaw, recently joined FamilyLink.com, Inc. as its new lead developer.
PROVO, Utah, March 3 -- Former founder of numerous genealogy companies and products, Cliff Shaw, recently joined FamilyLink.com, Inc. as its new lead developer.
"FamilyLink is charting new territory in family social networking and it's exciting to be on the leading edge of this. The growth the company is experiencing, even in a down market, is truly remarkable," said Cliff Shaw, Lead Developer, FamilyLink.com, Inc. "It's great to work with such an unbelievably well-rounded team. Paul Allen and I have done great things in the industry working apart. I can't wait to see what our merged teams can do together."
"One of my major goals at FamilyLink.com is to assemble the right people to build a great company," said Paul Allen, CEO, FamilyLink.com, Inc. "Cliff Shaw is a talented addition to our team who definitely knows the ins and outs of how to best connect families."
As lead developer, Shaw will work toward helping the company become the global leader in family social networking on all social networks and mobile platforms. The FamilyLink.com, Inc. network of sites became one of the Top 500 Web companies in the world in December 2008, based on Quantcast statistics. Currently the network ranks at #154 based on total monthly unique visitors, making the company one of the fastest growing web properties in the world.
"Families are connecting in new ways thanks to social networks. With the increasing distance between family members, online and mobile communication has become vital for many families to stay connected. FamilyLink is on the leading edge of this trend and will help families stay closer," Shaw said.
Shaw is an entrepreneur who has founded a number of companies in the past 13 years, both in and out of genealogy. At 18, he started GenForum and quickly grew it into the largest family history community on the Internet. GenForum was a top 200 site with more than 75 million monthly page views and remains a popular destination. GenForum was sold to the Learning Company in 1998. In 2000, Shaw founded GenCircles, a user-contributed family tree site that introduced SmartMatching, the first technology that automatically linked users' family trees. GenCircles grew to become the number two family tree contribution site on the Internet with hundreds of millions of ancestors. In 2001, Shaw founded Pearl Street Software and led the development of Family Tree Legends, the number two family tree software package in worldwide sales. Family Tree Legends received consistent critical acclaim and sold at most major retail outlets in the US and UK. MyHeritage.com acquired Pearl Street Software in 2006 and makes significant use of the SmartMatching technology to this day.
Shaw lives in Boulder, Colorado with his wife and is an avid environmentalist and world traveler.
About FamilyLink.com, Inc.
FamilyLink.com, Inc. is the leading social networking company for families globally. It was formed in 2006 by original founding executives of Ancestry.com and MyFamily.com. The company operates several genealogy web sites and has popular applications on Facebook, MySpace, Bebo, Hi5, and Friendster. The company's We're Related application is currently the third most popular application on Facebook and has helped users define nearly 200 million family relationships. FamilyLink.com, Inc. also operates the AdMazing ad network that represents more than 200 million monthly impressions on high traffic family history and heritage sites. Genealogy partners include Everton, brightsolid, Statute of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation, Genealogical Publishing Company, FindAGrave.com, Godfrey Memorial Library, and FamilySearch.
"One of my major goals at FamilyLink.com is to assemble the right people to build a great company," said Paul Allen, CEO, FamilyLink.com, Inc. "Cliff Shaw is a talented addition to our team who definitely knows the ins and outs of how to best connect families."
As lead developer, Shaw will work toward helping the company become the global leader in family social networking on all social networks and mobile platforms. The FamilyLink.com, Inc. network of sites became one of the Top 500 Web companies in the world in December 2008, based on Quantcast statistics. Currently the network ranks at #154 based on total monthly unique visitors, making the company one of the fastest growing web properties in the world.
"Families are connecting in new ways thanks to social networks. With the increasing distance between family members, online and mobile communication has become vital for many families to stay connected. FamilyLink is on the leading edge of this trend and will help families stay closer," Shaw said.
Shaw is an entrepreneur who has founded a number of companies in the past 13 years, both in and out of genealogy. At 18, he started GenForum and quickly grew it into the largest family history community on the Internet. GenForum was a top 200 site with more than 75 million monthly page views and remains a popular destination. GenForum was sold to the Learning Company in 1998. In 2000, Shaw founded GenCircles, a user-contributed family tree site that introduced SmartMatching, the first technology that automatically linked users' family trees. GenCircles grew to become the number two family tree contribution site on the Internet with hundreds of millions of ancestors. In 2001, Shaw founded Pearl Street Software and led the development of Family Tree Legends, the number two family tree software package in worldwide sales. Family Tree Legends received consistent critical acclaim and sold at most major retail outlets in the US and UK. MyHeritage.com acquired Pearl Street Software in 2006 and makes significant use of the SmartMatching technology to this day.
Shaw lives in Boulder, Colorado with his wife and is an avid environmentalist and world traveler.
About FamilyLink.com, Inc.
FamilyLink.com, Inc. is the leading social networking company for families globally. It was formed in 2006 by original founding executives of Ancestry.com and MyFamily.com. The company operates several genealogy web sites and has popular applications on Facebook, MySpace, Bebo, Hi5, and Friendster. The company's We're Related application is currently the third most popular application on Facebook and has helped users define nearly 200 million family relationships. FamilyLink.com, Inc. also operates the AdMazing ad network that represents more than 200 million monthly impressions on high traffic family history and heritage sites. Genealogy partners include Everton, brightsolid, Statute of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation, Genealogical Publishing Company, FindAGrave.com, Godfrey Memorial Library, and FamilySearch.
Dick -
I'm just curious about something. I notice in this news release that Family Tree Legends is said to be the third highest selling software package. I know I have seen other similar claims (ranging from 1st to whatever) by other software companies. Is anyone doing independent verification of the many claims (i.e. units sold)or is there anywhere to find such information? I know for many products the information is out there if you look but I can't seem to find this. Or is everyone just supposed to take each company at their word?
jk
Posted by: jking | March 03, 2009 at 09:07 PM
---> is anyone doing independent verification of the many claims
I am not aware of any organization that does that.
- Dick Eastman
Posted by: Dick Eastman | March 03, 2009 at 09:18 PM
I'd be curious as to who Family Tree Legends thinks are #1 and #2. Seems like there's probably more than 2 I can think of that might lay claim to those 2 slots
Family Tree Maker
Legacy
RootsMagic
PAF -
although technically PAF isn't "selling" - and with that rationale many of the Legacy licenses aren't "sold" either I suppose.
Roger
Roger
Posted by: theKiwi | March 04, 2009 at 09:50 AM
I paid for the Family Tree Legends software and an update and it killed my computer and lost all my information. Can't get a hold of anybody. A total ripoff
Posted by: SB | October 06, 2009 at 01:44 PM