| Family Tree Maker, or FTM, is a software package | | | | at interactive maps and timelines that show important |
| from that helps you create your own family tree. The | | | | events and places in your ancestors' lives. You can |
| latest version, 2010, has a number of updates so that | | | | also take a look at your ancestors' migration paths, so |
| you can create your family linage easier than ever -- | | | | that you can see them; finally, the new user interface |
| whether you are a diehard genealogy researcher or | | | | lets you switch seamlessly between "most often |
| just getting started. | | | | used" features. |
| Most in the field of genealogy consider FTM to be the | | | | You can import data from genealogy programs like |
| best selling genealogy software in the history of this | | | | Legacy Family Tree, the Master Genealogist, and |
| work. As with other genealogy software packages, | | | | Personal Ancestral File. You can also add images and |
| researchers can keep information collected during | | | | records from all those available on and other sources |
| research and use it to make books, charts and reports. | | | | on the web. This software lets you do reports and |
| As far as FTM's own origins, it was first developed by | | | | charts in a number of formats that are faster with the |
| Banner Blue, a company, and later purchased by | | | | 2010 version of FTM, including those in FTW, an earlier |
| Broderbund. After, it found a home at Mattel and the | | | | file format in Family Tree Maker, and the so-called |
| Learning Company, before coming to rest, so to speak, | | | | "standard" genealogical database format, GEDCOM. |
| at | | | | If you want to "try before you buy," you can do that |
| Currently, it's only offered for PCs, and runs on | | | | with Family Tree Maker software, too. Just go to: and |
| Windows versions 98 through Vista. The software is | | | | download Family Tree Maker software. The file itself |
| not yet suitable for any other platform. The 2005 and | | | | will require 15.9 MB of space. |
| 2006 software, as well as Family Tree Maker Version | | | | As of October 2009, an online archive of historical |
| 16, will work on Windows Vista. (Incidentally, FTM 16 | | | | pictures and documents called will digitize and put online |
| was nominated for Best Consumer Productivity | | | | all US Federal Census data from 1790 to 1930. |
| Solution category, for a 2007 CODiE Award.) If you | | | | Footnote has interactive pages for individuals within the |
| wish to export trees, views or books to PDF, you'll | | | | Census, so that relatives can notate, upload photos |
| need an upgrade. | | | | and of the documents, and otherwise personalize |
| The 2010 version of Family Tree Maker will better | | | | information. also has Census data, but this gives |
| integrate with Ancestry.com, so that you can import | | | | someone who is researching genealogical information |
| your family linage from there and include any attached | | | | another way to view these types of records, and also |
| photos, too. You can also organize photos and other | | | | lets them enter data that could be helpful to others |
| types of media, and this version includes the capability | | | | who are going to do the same genealogical research. |
| to do slideshows. You can also make "family | | | | If you're just starting out in genealogical research, the |
| keepsake" books with the 2010 version, and you can | | | | free starter version of Family Tree Maker is a good |
| look at relationships within the "family tree" context, | | | | way to get off the ground. It also lets you try before |
| from a so-called "new person view." You can | | | | you buy, before you actually make the financial |
| download online family trees from the website directly | | | | commitment to buy the software. Online genealogy |
| into Family Tree Maker, or you can merge the | | | | research and software have in effect "gathered |
| downloaded tree into another one, or start a new tree | | | | around" F TM software and the record databases in |
| altogether. When you download family trees, they will | | | | Because of this, FTM has become the software of |
| contain everything, images and facts, associated with | | | | choice for those doing genealogy research. Its 2010 |
| the tree that's online. | | | | version and free trial download are only going to make |
| You can also add family linage photos directly from | | | | FTM an even more important part of genealogy and |
| the scanner with this newest version, and you can look | | | | research. |