Author Topic: Family Tree Maker 2017 - worth paying to upgrade?  (Read 8690 times)

Offline ukmusic

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Family Tree Maker 2017 - worth paying to upgrade?
« on: Monday 21 May 18 10:00 BST (UK) »
After an enforced break from my genealogical research I now find my Family Tree Maker 2014 programme no longer syncs with Ancestry. I’m a bit miffed that they want £59.99 to upgrade to FTM2017, especially as it appears the programme is no longer fully supported by Ancestry.
Is it worth paying for this upgrade or should I buy different software? I don’t want to pay out for FTM2017 if it’s lifespan is already limited. Thank you.  : )
FREED, Kent  *  WHITE, Kent  *  TURNER, Kent  *  PINK, Kent  *  THOMSIT, Kent  *  WARD, Kent  *  TANTON, Kent  *  FINCH, Kent  *  COUSINS, Kent  *  FRY, Kent  *  BLACKSTONE, Kent

Offline groom

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Re: Family Tree Maker 2017 - worth paying to upgrade?
« Reply #1 on: Monday 21 May 18 12:14 BST (UK) »
It really depends whether you just want a FH programme or whether you need it to synch with Ancestry. If the former, you could just stay with FTM2014.  It might be worth checking to see if you are eligible for a free upgrade.

https://support.mackiev.com/317487-FAMILY-TREE-MAKER-2017-FAQ



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Offline ukmusic

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Re: Family Tree Maker 2017 - worth paying to upgrade?
« Reply #2 on: Monday 21 May 18 14:23 BST (UK) »
Thank you. I got a free upgrade to the 2014.1 version but that doesn't sync with Ancestry either. I have to pay £60 for the 2017 version. Annoying when I paid full price for the original version.
Do you know if any other programmes sync with Ancestry? I seem to recall that there is/was another.
FREED, Kent  *  WHITE, Kent  *  TURNER, Kent  *  PINK, Kent  *  THOMSIT, Kent  *  WARD, Kent  *  TANTON, Kent  *  FINCH, Kent  *  COUSINS, Kent  *  FRY, Kent  *  BLACKSTONE, Kent

Offline smudwhisk

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Re: Family Tree Maker 2017 - worth paying to upgrade?
« Reply #3 on: Monday 21 May 18 17:35 BST (UK) »
Roots Magic 7 also syncs with Ancestry, albeit that unlike with FTM you have to accept the updates individually.  That said, its useful for checking that all is OK.  The Free RM7 allows you to download a copy of your tree but you can't use it to sync after this, only download a new copy.  May be worth looking at prior to paying for FTM2017.
(KENT) Lingwell, Rayment (BUCKS) Read, Hutchins (SRY) Costin, Westbrook (DOR) Gibbs, Goreing (DUR) Green (ESX) Rudland, Malden, Rouse, Boosey (FIFE) Foulis, Russell (NFK) Johnson, Farthing, Purdy, Barsham (GLOS) Collett, Morris, Freebury, May, Kirkman (HERTS) Winchester, Linford (NORTHANTS) Bird, Brimley, Chater, Wilford, Read, Chapman, Jeys, Marston, Lumley (WILTS) Arden, Whatley, Batson, Gleed, Greenhill (SOM) Coombs, Watkins (RUT) Stafford (BERKS) Sansom, Angel, Young, Stratton, Weeks, Day


Offline JAKnighton

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Re: Family Tree Maker 2017 - worth paying to upgrade?
« Reply #4 on: Wednesday 23 May 18 01:17 BST (UK) »
If you thought FTM 2014 was a useful tool and used the sync feature, then I would say that FTM 2017 is worth it.

People forget that without MacKiev picking it up and developing this new version, FTM would be a dead program with no syncing capability at all.

For me FTM 2017 was noticeably faster than 2014 and the sync feature is far more reliable.

You could look into RootsMagic as well, but do note that the sync feature is not the same as what FTM offers. In RootsMagic each altered fact has to be individually approved and then synced. Some people prefer this but obviously it takes longer.
Knighton in Huntingdonshire and Northamptonshire
Tweedie in Lanarkshire and Co. Down
Rodgers in Durham and Co. Monaghan
McMillan in Lanarkshire and Argyllshire

Offline Elizajb

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Re: Family Tree Maker 2017 - worth paying to upgrade?
« Reply #5 on: Saturday 17 August 19 11:44 BST (UK) »
Hi All,

A bit late joining the conversation - but I also still have FTM2014 (Ancestry version) and did buy the 2017 Mackiev version before Xmas last year. However, I did not install it immediately, it was 3 or 4 months before I did.

 I didn't realise that the new version automatically populated with the files from my old version and when I went to open one, I saw that the file had to be converted in order to be used on 2017. I didn't think anything of it, but had also not realised that I could no longer open that file on my old version.

At least temporarily, I had intended to keep my old version and run the new one separately with new trees but I don't quite see how I can do this now. Is it possible in some way to keep the old version working and delete the names of the older unconverted files from the new version? Or, will all files I have, new or old, still show up on the newer 2017 version?

I'm sure many will be asking 'why would you bother' - but until I feel secure in the working of the newer version, I am reluctant to consign the older one to the bin.

Also, another question - I see the latest advertised version of FTM 2019 has a feature which although free for the first year, will cost an annual subscription thereafter - is that feature compulsory does anyone know? It is called tree Vault cloud services.

Any advice appreciated - has anyone else managed to retain 2 versions for a while?

Many thanks,
Eliza.
BLANCH London, Kent, Cumberland, Sunderland WALTON Cumberland, WILSON Cumberland, New Zealand, GRAHAM Cumbria/USA,  DUNN Woolwich Kent, BLAKE Northumberland HENDERSON Renfrewshire PATERSON Argyllshire HALLAM Surrey BYRNE Dublin, BURNS Glasgow, DENSTON/BARBER Staff., WADMAN Somerset, DALE Middlesex, AIMERS Selkirkshire, BORTHWICK Berwickshire

Offline Kimbrey

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Re: Family Tree Maker 2017 - worth paying to upgrade?
« Reply #6 on: Saturday 17 August 19 12:46 BST (UK) »
Mackiev are due to release an update - FTM2019

In May I received a notice with a reduced price offer on an upgrade of FTM from 2017   to 2019 due for release "later this summer" if I pre-ordered.

The pre order price was£29.95  (full price quoted £59.95)

Still no date yet though :)

mackiev were the original developers of FTM and "bought" it back from Ancestry,it is necessary to keep an Ancestry sub in order to keep the Sync function.

I do not think the Vault feature is compulsary,it is an option(I think!!)

Kim

Offline Elizajb

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Re: Family Tree Maker 2017 - worth paying to upgrade?
« Reply #7 on: Saturday 17 August 19 21:06 BST (UK) »
Thanks Kim,

Do you know whether it's possible to run two versions on your computer and keep them separate?

Fortunately I had made backups (per instructions) of all my files before installing the Mackiev version, just in case.

I had put off installing for a while because someone else I know well had done so last year and their trees installed incorrectly with sources and people mixed up. It took them a long time to correct the errors, although it is all up and running now - hence my caution.

Regards Eliza.
BLANCH London, Kent, Cumberland, Sunderland WALTON Cumberland, WILSON Cumberland, New Zealand, GRAHAM Cumbria/USA,  DUNN Woolwich Kent, BLAKE Northumberland HENDERSON Renfrewshire PATERSON Argyllshire HALLAM Surrey BYRNE Dublin, BURNS Glasgow, DENSTON/BARBER Staff., WADMAN Somerset, DALE Middlesex, AIMERS Selkirkshire, BORTHWICK Berwickshire

Offline Kimbrey

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Re: Family Tree Maker 2017 - worth paying to upgrade?
« Reply #8 on: Saturday 17 August 19 21:45 BST (UK) »
Elizajb

I do not know if it is possible to run 2 versions  but cannot work out how it would be from the same account as uploading a new version "uninstalls" the earlier one?

Perhaps take a Gedcom of the 2014 version a load it onto Rootsmagic and use the sync function on there to keep it updated?

You could ask mackiev

Kim