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Biggest draws: Compatible with Personal Ancestral File (PAF) and expands on PAF’s capabilities; fields to record DNA test results; many reporting options, including pedigree charts with sources and notes; PDF output; research logs
Drawbacks: Poor family view, add-on needed for a wide selection of graphical charts
Manufacturer: Sherwood Electronics Laboratories
Biggest draws: Google Earth-style interface, ease of use
Drawbacks: no wall chars, imprecise GEDCOM file creation
Manufacturer: John Steed
Biggest draws: charts and reports, to-do lists
Drawbacks: navigation, no HTML descendant report
Manufacturer: Calico Pie (UK)
Biggest draws: navigation by graphical family tree, automated source citations, customizable charts
Drawbacks: price, no letter-size pedigree charts, awkward steps for documenting sources and creating Web reports
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Manufacturer: Ancestry.com, (800) 262-3787
Biggest draws: Wall charts, searching Ancestry.com, synchronizing online and offline family trees
Drawbacks: GEDCOM file sharing, documenting sources, book publishing
Manufacturer: Individual Software
Biggest draws: Easy to use, good family group sheets and pedigree charts, PAF compatibility, toll-free help number
Drawbacks: It’s essentially an old version of Ancestral Quest
Manufacturer: Thoughtful Creations
Biggest draws: Wide selection of printed reports, including excellent narrative reports for creating a book with a place-name index; many options for publishing your family history online; ease of use
Drawbacks: Overwhelming array of graphical chart options could benefit from some streamlining
Manufacturer: Individual Software
Biggest draws: Easy navigation, outstanding printed reports, toll-free help number, comes bundled with Progeny Software’s Charting Companion
Drawbacks: Essentially an old version of Ancestral Quest
Manufacturer: Millennia Corp.
Biggest draws: Ease of use, research guidance, charts and reports
Drawbacks: Pedigree view doesn’t show exact dates and places
Manufacturer: Millennia Corp.
Biggest draws: Ease of use, charts and reports, searching in your file
Drawbacks: Unintuitive icons for reusing sources
Manufacturer: Wholly Genes Software
Biggest draws: Unlimited flexibility and customization; unique power-user features
Drawbacks: Steep learning curve
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Manufacturer: FamilySearch
Biggest draws: Ease of use, excellent help files, price, foreign language versions, well-designed print and Web reports, good graphical charts with PAF Companion
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RootsMagic 4
Biggest draws: Ease of use, documenting sources, charts and reports
Drawbacks: Nothing major
RootsMagic 6
Biggest draws: Ease of use, data entry, documenting sources, reports
Drawbacks: Nothing major
Manufacturer: RootsMagic, (800) 766-8762
Biggest draws: ease of use, data entry, documenting sources, reports, publishing your tree online
Drawbacks: nothing major
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