RootsMagic vs Master Genealogy

[LaurieS]

I have been using FTM for years but feel I have outgrown it and want a
more flexible and detail oriented software. I've looked at all of them
and have narrowed down to these two but am having a terrible time
deciding. I like how easy RM is to use but MG is detail oriented and
very flexible but harder to learn. My question is, I would like input as
to what is the best and worst reason in using each program from personal
experience. Also if I have to use GEDCOM to transfer files do I loose
any info?
Thanks, Laurie

[Joe Makowiec]

On 13 Apr 2005 in soc.genealogy.computing, LaurieS wrote:

I have been using FTM for years but feel I have outgrown it and want
a more flexible and detail oriented software. I've looked at all of
them and have narrowed down to these two but am having a terrible
time deciding. I like how easy RM is to use but MG is detail
oriented and very flexible but harder to learn. My question is, I
would like input as to what is the best and worst reason in using
each program from personal experience.

Not to make your life harder, but both are fine pieces of software.
Also, I think you'd find that customer support is fine for both. For
What It's Worth, I use TMG, though I'm still on version 4.0d. I have a
more recent version, but still haven't found it compelling.

Also if I have to use GEDCOM to transfer files do I loose any info?

You'll always lose information on a GEDCOM transfer; how much depends on
the sending program, the receiving program, and what special 'features'
of the sending software you've used. Again For What It's Worth, The
Master Genealogist will import a FTM file directly. At one point, there
was a comparison of programs with specific attention to how each handled
GEDCOM transfers. You might try searching the web for it.

Both have active mailing lists (see
http://lists.rootsweb.com/index/other/Software/) and web-based user
forums, where I'm sure you could find somebody who has made the switch of
software you propose and can offer you better advice.

--
Joe Makowiec
http://makowiec.org/
Email: http://makowiec.org/contact/?Joe

[Pam]

Laurie,

TMG really isn't that hard. You can use it in a beginner's mode to get
acquainted with the program. It can be very complex but most people don't
get into some of those things until they've been using the program for a
while and then take them on. There's also a mailing list as well as a user
forum which is very helpful and active. The tech support is better than
I've seen anywhere else. They also have a set of videos you can purchase
separately or as a whole. There's a beginner's one, intermediate and
advanced. There's also an excellent book called "Getting the Most out of
The Master Genealogist" which goes into detail about a lot of the advanced
features. It certainly is very flexible--I've been using it since 1.0 and
have been completely happy with it. There's nothing I haven't been able to
do with it.

--
Pam
http://www.pamsgenealogy.net

"LaurieS" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...

I have been using FTM for years but feel I have outgrown it and want a more
flexible and detail oriented software. I've looked at all of them and have
narrowed down to these two but am having a terrible time deciding. I like
how easy RM is to use but MG is detail oriented and very flexible but
harder to learn. My question is, I would like input as to what is the best
and worst reason in using each program from personal experience. Also if I
have to use GEDCOM to transfer files do I loose any info?
Thanks, Laurie

[Charlie Hoffpauir]

On Wed, 13 Apr 2005 00:24:26 -0700, LaurieS <[email protected]>
wrote:

I have been using FTM for years but feel I have outgrown it and want a
more flexible and detail oriented software. I've looked at all of them
and have narrowed down to these two but am having a terrible time
deciding. I like how easy RM is to use but MG is detail oriented and
very flexible but harder to learn. My question is, I would like input as
to what is the best and worst reason in using each program from personal
experience. Also if I have to use GEDCOM to transfer files do I loose
any info?
Thanks, Laurie

Laurie,

Perhaps you mean TMG (The Master Genealogist).

I agree with your conclusions, RM is easy to use, whereas TMG is much
more flexible (and capable). It really depends on your personal
preference. Either is a vast improvement over FTM, but the transfer
from FTM to TMG will be "better" in terms of getting everything across
correctly.... but it will require a lot of careful setup to
accomplish. (you use Genbridge on your actual FTM file, not a GEDCOM).
On the transfer from FTM to RM you'll get :most" of the data across
correctly using a GEDCOM, but a few things will come across with
glitches, requiring some editing once in RM (fixing name suffixes like
Jr, Sr., for example) If you happen to have a copy of GEDCOM Explorer
and are "fluent" in it, you can improve the GEDCOM transfer
significantly.

In my case, I find that I use TMG only occasionally. I'm almost
completely converted to RM, finding that it lacks only a few things in
reports that I need. The main lack for me is the way that RM fails to
handle multiple instances of names in reports The workaround (for
thise converting from FTM) seems to require a different approach to
multiple names than used in FTM.
Charlie Hoffpauir
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~charlieh/

[Ray]

LaurieS wrote:

I have been using FTM for years but feel I have outgrown it and want a
more flexible and detail oriented software. I've looked at all of them
and have narrowed down to these two but am having a terrible time
deciding. I like how easy RM is to use but MG is detail oriented and
very flexible but harder to learn. My question is, I would like input as
to what is the best and worst reason in using each program from personal
experience. Also if I have to use GEDCOM to transfer files do I loose
any info?
Thanks, Laurie

Laurie, that's a tough one, I have both on my computer and flip between
them to compare options. If you want detail then TMG is the way to go,
It has options like you wouldn't believe, the report filters are almost
unlimited and the ability to customise any tag(fact item) or source
output make the headaches worthwhile for me. One thing that is missing
in TMG is a good built in web site creator, it will do individual pages.
But there is a add-on program called Second Site that does a remarkable
job of creating a web site from TMG data, but this is additional cost.
On the downside, I find TMG to be on the slow side, and I have a very
fast computer. I would hate to have to use it on an older system.
Version 6 has recently been released and is going through some teething
problems right now, but we're assured that fixes are forthcoming.

Rootsmagic/Family Origins I have used for several years and would
recommend it to anyone. It is fast, easy to use, the user interface is
well thought out, and it is very stable, I've never had a crash with it.
Support from the user community is very good for both programs.

There are demo versions available for both programs, try them.

Good luck

Ray

[Henri Roodveldt]

Hi Laurie
Give GenBox a try. It is a well processing piece of software. Look at the
possibilities to create all kind of events, sources en links. I think it's a
great program, allthough I likte the looks of Rootsmagic.

Henri
"Ray" <[email protected]> schreef in bericht
news:[email protected]...

LaurieS wrote:
I have been using FTM for years but feel I have outgrown it and want a
more flexible and detail oriented software. I've looked at all of them
and have narrowed down to these two but am having a terrible time
deciding. I like how easy RM is to use but MG is detail oriented and
very flexible but harder to learn. My question is, I would like input as
to what is the best and worst reason in using each program from personal
experience. Also if I have to use GEDCOM to transfer files do I loose
any info?
Thanks, Laurie

Laurie, that's a tough one, I have both on my computer and flip between
them to compare options. If you want detail then TMG is the way to go,
It has options like you wouldn't believe, the report filters are almost
unlimited and the ability to customise any tag(fact item) or source
output make the headaches worthwhile for me. One thing that is missing
in TMG is a good built in web site creator, it will do individual pages.
But there is a add-on program called Second Site that does a remarkable
job of creating a web site from TMG data, but this is additional cost.
On the downside, I find TMG to be on the slow side, and I have a very
fast computer. I would hate to have to use it on an older system.
Version 6 has recently been released and is going through some teething
problems right now, but we're assured that fixes are forthcoming.

Rootsmagic/Family Origins I have used for several years and would
recommend it to anyone. It is fast, easy to use, the user interface is
well thought out, and it is very stable, I've never had a crash with it.
Support from the user community is very good for both programs.

There are demo versions available for both programs, try them.

Good luck

Ray