 If you're just beginning to look into your family history then ths package offers the perfect starting point. Who Do You Think You Are? Family Tree Maker provides you with the software you need to record and organise your search on your PC in the form of Family Tree Maker 2008, and then throws in some useful resources and a complimentary three-month subscription to Ancestry.co.uk, which gives you access to a whole host of historical records online, including birth, marriage and death indexes and census returns from 1841 to 1901.
Family Tree Maker 2008 itself blends a powerful feature set with user-friendly interface that won't put off beginners. Everything's been neatly organised into seven sections, and it won't take you long to get up and running - with or without the included getting-started guide.
It features everything you'd expect to find in a genealogical program - the ability to record as much or as little detail about each individual in your tree, for example, plus the ability to import scanned images of old photos and documents for attaching to your ancestors' records.
There are also some unique features: the 'Places' tab ties in with the Microsoft Virtual Earth website to let you view a modern-day map of the places where you family lived, while the 'Web Search' tool is integrated tightly with Ancestry.co.uk. As you record the details about your ancestor, you can integrate the record - including a scan of the document itself - into your research file.
The program also featuresa section where you can turn your research into charts, reports and even books. It was disappointingly bare in the original release, but download the latest update (you'll be prompted after installation) and you'll find a much better selection to choose from. It's just a sham,e this update isn't included on the disc itself.
The connection with Who Do You Think You Are? goes beyond packaging. You'll find short video clips (plus a family tree) for every celebrity from the first four series of the show, while Nick Barratt presents a useful 10-minute video highlighting his top 10 genealogy hints and tips for beginners.
If you're just starting out with your research then this package is great value. |