1. Blan1946 September 24, 2008 4:51 am

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   I have beta-tested both FTM 2008 and 2009 and have had excellent dealings with all the staff involved. From the first I realized that this product is a highly progressive and intuitive program, and it has been a joy to use. The continuing research by the developers of additional modifications to make the software even more user friendly is always on-going. I have used Family Tree Maker for a number of years, and I would truly be lost if I were to revert to either older versions or try and cope with another brand of genealogical sofware entirely. The on-line tutorials are great, as there are always little things that you either haven’t tried, or forget about. All in all, I highly recommend FTM 2009 as an essential tool in any serious genealogical research.

2. C Hanson September 24, 2008 8:02 am

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   I have used Family Tree Maker since 1996. I was very disappointed with the 2008 version but I stuck with it because I knew it was an entirely new program and it would take time to find out what all the issues are and make the corrections. I was very glad to find out that they decided to scrap 2008 and were working on the 2009 version. I was a beta tester for 2009 and I was very impressed with how hard the staff worked to correct problems and how they were willing to listen to suggestions. One of the big problems with 2008 was the fact that it constantly crashed. Since I have been working with 2009 crashing hasn’t been an issue. Since the media files are kept in a separate file, 2009 does not take as long to open as it did in versions prior to 2008. I do know that some people still say it takes too long to open for them, so they are still working on this problem. It has been said that the charts and reports are not as good as they were in versions prior to 2008. New charts and reports have been added and more are expected to be added, but this is an area where you must be willing to “play” with the options to really see what is available. Since I had so many problems with 2008 I didn’t use the new features that were introduced, but I have tried them in 2009 and they are very useful. The web clipping feature is helpful. Please make someone aware of any issue’s or concerns that you may have with 2009. Issues do need to be prioritized so your issue may not be taken care of right away, but someone is listening to all issues.

3. Michele A. Fleck February 2, 2009 12:22 pm

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   As a previous user of a 1993 version, I am extremely pleased with the fact that the notes screens have the capability of using a spelling checker. This version has several choices for the way you can print out reports and while I find it a little more difficult to enter information it is only because it offers so many more choices.

4. C. Cox February 22, 2009 5:59 pm

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   FTM Deluxe is a great tool and manages family trees and people with ease. I was able to use it without reading a lot of directions, but when you have questions it does have a very good help feature. Being able to search the Internet and genealogical websites using data on people you have is a quick way to find people. FTM Deluxe shows you hits in one window and the facts from your tree in another, allowing you to see everything you need. It also compares hits and sorts them by relevance, saving time. The best feature is being able to merge data for people you find, plus merging data for related people. This is the first tool I’ve used that actually seems like it was designed by a genealogist and it really makes internet searches work. It’s great for beginners and experts alike. It comes with a 30-day free membership to Ancestry.com and with this tool you can find a lot of data there quickly.

5. J. Kondas Jr. March 26, 2009 5:49 am

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   Bought as an upgrade for my ancient version of FTM. Wow! The changes between the two were amazing. Allows me to now document just about everything I can on my family history.

6. Darlene Almer April 11, 2009 4:19 pm

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   I have used Family Tree Maker products for years and years–love the web interface and ability to download what you find to your records. So far so good.

7. Menak April 28, 2009 11:52 am

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   Very user friendly and easy to learn. Down loading GED files was simple. Very good for the beginner but use the tutorials.

8. Johnnyo September 9, 2009 6:03 pm

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   I have been using FTM software for years and recently upgraded to 2009 FTM Essentials. I have about 3000 names in my files and when I print the Calendar Report some names are left out, some deceased people are shown, some anniversaries are not shown, etc. On previous versions when a day such as July 22 had more names than would fit, a second page printed. Not so in 2009. It just leaves them off. You cannot change the fonts on a Calendar report either. Very disappointed. After many emails with their technical support and no resolution, I have pretty much given up and am looking for a new program.

9. Mary L. Tippens September 16, 2009 12:17 am

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   very easy to download and use. just besure to call ancestory about the 3 months free use. your credit card info will have to be given.

10. Charles E. James February 6, 2010 2:55 pm

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    We enjoy using the Family Tree Maker. We did have it on our computer before and had problems where we had to get a new hard drive and the program could not be transferred. Our son has been using this program for years and we had purchased it so we could keep up with “our trees” and when we talk we can share information. Our opinions are that it is a good program.

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