Who Do You Think You Are?

March 2008

A Beginner's Guide to Genealogy

PCs and genealogy go hand-in-hand - we look at a simple tree-building programme that also comes with two handy books for budding family historians.

This package is aimed very firmly at the beginner, designed to provide them with an excellent starter's pack for genealogical research: not only does it contain two books and a full genealogy package for the PC, it also has a raft of bonus features, including samplers, subscription and other resources - and all for less than £20.

The heart of this bumper package is Family Tree Legends. It's not as feature-packed as other products - it pales in comparison with Family Tree Maker 2008 for example - but its one of the easiest packages we've seen, which makes it perfect for the newcomer. Data entry is simple - a wizard steps you though the process of entering your first individual's details, and it provides a crash course in using the main interface at the same time.

The interface might be a bit basic, but it's as simple to use as it is to look at. Once your ancestor's key details are in place, flesh out their lives using the buttons down the side of the screen. You can add details like facts, notes and addresses, or use the scrapbooking feature to link images, video, sounds and other documents to an individual or family.

Details of the ancestor's spouse and children are accessable from the same age, and you can click a button to access his or her parents. As your tree grows, switch to the Navigate view to see a broader picture.

The program also boasts some charting and reporting tools, plus the ability to combine them together in a book, which you can either print out or export as a PDF file for distributing electronically. You can also have the program periodically upload your updates tree to the GenCircles website to share with others.

ADDED EXTRAS - Family Tree Legends is a great product for the beginner but, by pairing it with a collection of incredibly useful resources, it becomes an essential first purchase for the budding genealogist.

The paperback edition of "Track down your ancestors" is a little outdated, but contains lots of useful advice, which will help you when you take your research on the road. The other book is a research workbook - a list of forms you can use to record by hand, notes from parish registers, census returns, family interviews and more besides.

A copy of this is also included in PDF format on the disc, so you can print out additional sheets if you need them, while a 28-page beginners guide ("Family History Guide Book") is also on the disc.

If all this wasn't enough, the disc also has a 30-day trial subscription to The Genealogist website, an Internet Research Centre (a collection of useful web addresses) and a small digital reference library, with four old books in PDF format, including the 1904 Gazetteer of the British Isles and Origin of English Surnames. Money-off vouchers and software samplers complete the set.

EXCELLENT VALUE - If you're a PC user venturing into the world of genealogy for the first time, then this package is an excellent introduction to the subject at a bargain price. More experienced users won't find much of value here, although the two books will appeal to a wider audience. However, unless you're after simplicity, you won't find enough in Family Tree Legends to tempt you to switch.

S&N Genealogy Supplies
www.genealogysupplies.com
01722 716121

Review by Nick Peers

Find Out More:

Family Tree Grand Suite from GenealogySupplies.com

View more family history and genealogy products at GenealogySupplies.com