Genealogy Jottings

Over the past week I have seen a lot of chatter about the upcoming demise of Family Tree Maker genealogy software. As one of the more popular record-keeping software products, many genealogists rely on it for their work. Understandably, they are unhappy.

I faced the same situation some time ago when Wholly Genes discontinued my software product, The Master Genealogist (TMG). Do I see a trend developing?

The Geneablogger Thomas MacEntee seems to think so. He argues that desktop genealogy software is becoming a thing of the past. The industry is heading toward subscription-based cloud products. These offer the user several benefits including off-site storage and continuous updating.

So what should the frustrated genealogist do? For my own work, I have continued to use TMG with no problem. I like the trees and reports I can run from it. I do not want to follow the learning curve needed to effectively work in another product.

Yet I do not know how long I can continue with TMG as Windows evolves. I keep receiving prompts to upgrade to Windows 10. Will TMG play well in the new sandbox? If not, what should I do?

My long-term plan for preserving my research is to post it with Family Search. I have already submitted everything I know about my Norwegian and Finnish ancestors to them. Each time I complete a research question, I add my results to my online tree. Perhaps I can begin using their site for my work when TMG ceases to be a viable option.

The technology world continues to evolve faster than many of us would like. Family Tree Maker users, I feel your pain.

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