Genealogy Chat

Babs, I just added this on another thread - went to wrong one! Hi Babs Charting Companion - I am using laptop at moment, so can check it. It came ona seperate disc, but was inside one of the FTM disc cases, I received 3 cases. Open up Charting Companion, if you go to file open, you can either browse to find a FTM programme or it can scan and find them for you. You choose a relative then decide which kind of tree you want, you can choose colours to use,fonts etc. I havent used it yet as I cant print from here. To be honest I think FTM 2006 has more options as you can choose borders etc.

TWR Computing is selling FTM 2005 for £9.99. Well worth the money if you are starting out. The additional features in 2006 are minimal, apart from the charting program which is an extra addon anyway. These so called 'deluxe' versions with 10cd packs etc are a complete waste of money for most people. They DO NOT form any pary of the actual software and are just a way to get you to shell out on data discs which they can't shift, and in most cases, have nothing that is of interest to you.

Babs, I have just found this thread again, I will check tomorrow and let you know if you havent found out by now.

'Well done Tiger Lily' If you look through the other thread on the FTM there are a few places you can buy it and certainly the brand new one should cost nothing like £50! You dont need the one with all the parish cds and stuff - It should be available from amazon? But S and N Genealogy(£22.95) or TWR or my-history have all got it - come to that, ancestry sent me an email recently and they were selling it themselves for a discounted about £11, I think. Try www*familytreemaker*com Change asterisks to full stops.

Maureen can you remember how you opened on the lap top then;; Jean feel free, but I must be honest Heather helped me loads when I got mine, but if I can I will ;;;; Babs

Hi, I have managed to open charting companion maker on my laptop but that isnt connected to the printer, but I can get it to work on the main computer! Its so frustrating, both operating windows xp!

babs, I think maybe then that this is the one I want then. hope you work out the charting bit o.k. I maybe asking you for help in the near future.lol jean

Jean have nudged Heathers thread for you;; Babs

Jean IO dont know what you mean by acsess to names;; but the new version gives you the option to do web search and it logs into ancestry and it has found me census and BMD's that I couldnt find;; Babs Just pity I couldnt find out how to view this dam charting thing;;

hi babs, does it still give you access to names, like the old one Ive got now. jean

Jean thats the one I got at Christmas, and its brilliant;; got mine at G&S suppliers;; about that price, but my daughter bought me the 'Who do you think you are version from the bookman that goes to her works for £4 I gave this away as pressy for someone to practise on ;; and you wont belive this but its same as mine;;;so far Cheek of it;; But still wouldnt part with this version of 2006 Babs

o.k. so I have now decided its time to get the new f.t.m. what do you recomend, have just looked and seen f.t.m. 2006 upgrade with charting companion for £22+ is this what I need. jean

Encouraged by comments on this board I decided to treat myself to FTM 2005. At about £20 - £25 it sounded like a bargain. But I cannot find it anywhere. On Amazon, PC World etc they are marked discontinued. The new versions are in the £50 to £60 range which I fell is too much to pay (on top of membership to GR and Ancestry, and then certs etc.) If anyone knows where they are still selling the 2005 version I would be very pleased to hear. TGx PS Feeling good 'cos I spent the day sorting out the garden. It looks great and I feel good that I could resist the computer for six hours! Say 'Well done TG!' .

Samantha can I ask you jow do you view the charting companion;; I cannot get to see it to see what its like;; Babs

Version 5 is 7 or 8 years old, I'd upgrade if I were you. Carol www.genealogyprinters*com

hi heather, no its earlier than that, it says on box family tree maker delux 10cd set version 5, for windows 95 and 98, havnt a clue when we brought it tho. well if it is that old, then maybe will have to talk to o.h. into letting me buy the new one.lol jean

Jean, FTM2006 is the latest version and you could transfer all the stuff on your old familytreemaker over to it. I will nudge up a thread about it. I dont think you mean the 2005 do you? Do you mean the very earlier version 5? If you do have 2005 then I wouldnt bother to upgrade to 2006.

FTM 2006 has an added Charting companion I find this useful I don't know how much different it is as to whether it is worth you upgrading my uncle did upgrade and was glad he did I didn;t have 2005 I used generations before but I prefer FTM

I am using my old computer for f.t.maker, so the keyboard is on my lap and the flaming mouse is on low table, so back aches a little bit at the moment, think that as I have only just decided to use this f.t.m, I may leave getting the newer one till later on. jean

Jean, Welcome to the club. I use 2005 not sure if that is the one you mean or not? and I find it perfectly adequate for what I want. Having read the reviews of 2006 I really do not feel the need to upgrade yet. Maybe next year if they develop it more then I might think about it. Happy hunting