Which website for online family tree ?

[LadyJayne]

Will give it a go, I didn't want to put my tree on a pay per view site, and this seems about the best out there. I like the idea that anyone can find me without having to pay for a subscription too.  I'll probably opt to be  open to all.

[PaulStaffs]

If you don't mind getting your hands dirty you can rent some web-space of your own, install free software in that space to display (or edit) your tree to any or all you wish. The advantages are:

• You're in control of the data, layout and access to your site
• You can synchronize/backup data to/from your desktop computer or whatever whenever it suits
• You can test your program to ensure it's gedcom compliant

The trouble with relying on a service is that they can pull the plug whenever, you're stuck with their limitations and format, you have no idea where else your data might be going and they are not likely to be liable if things go wrong. If you think all of that is unlikely, take a look at the number of projects big names like Google and Yahoo have started and then dropped over the years - dozens, with lots of upset users as a result.

The Tribal Pages deluxe version is about £35 a year. You can get unlimited webspace with a free .co.uk domain name for less than that (for example https://www.unlimitedwebhosting.co.uk/) and install your own software (for example https://www.webtrees.net/index.php/en/ or demo here https://dev.webtrees.net/demo-stable/index.php?ctype=gedcom&ged=demo).  You can also use that space for anything else you want .... your own little 'cloud'.

It takes a little more effort than using a service like Tribal Pages or Ancestry but the benefits outweigh that effort IMO.

PS I have no affiliation to any of those links!

Alternative software:
http://www.humogen.com/
...or export from your desktop FH program to web format and upload that for a read-only website.

[josey]

That sounds interesting, Paul thanks.

I have a limited experience of managing a - homemade - website or which I needed 'cuteftp' or similar. Would I need somesuch under the arrangement you suggest?

Josey

[PaulStaffs]

Usually when you buy webspace these days it comes with a familiar file manager built in to your account 'control panel'  for transferring files, rather than using an ftp client (although you can still do that of course).

If you use Webtrees or similar, you just need to make sure your web package includes at least one MySQL database - you'll need it to store your data

Paul

EDIT: Setting up Webtrees or Humogen is usally just a case of downloading the program and unzipping it on your PC then uploading it to your webspace (via control panel or ftp). Next step is usually to run a set up script on your site by visiting the appropriate page (something like www.mysite/programdirectory/setup ) and following the instructions.

Good news is you can try all that without spending any money because you can get some free webspace (with mysql) from somewhere like https://www.000webhost.com/ It's a bit slow sometimes but it does allow you to experiment ad infinitum for nowt!

[josey]

Thanks, might give that a go.....

[mikechristopher]

I have been looking at using http://humogen.com/index.php once I get my host sorted out.  Looks like a good option. 

[PaulStaffs]

I've used Humogen a fair bit; its pretty good BUT the editing interface is poor. I use Webtrees as my primary FH program (but running on my PC not on the net!).

[LadyJayne]

I set up an account with Tribalpages a couple of weeks ago after a few people on this site recommended it but nothing  as yet has shown up in the search box for the surnames I've entered for my family. I read somewhere on their help forums that they update the site in the middle and end of the month so I was hopeful that my surnames would appear in the search box by now but it hasn't! I've checked my privacy settings and it all seems fine and the box is ticked so my names should show in the names directory.

I'm now looking around at other sites, mainly Genes Reunited and Myheritage and wondered if other rootschatters had any tips about using these sites.

[youngtug]

I am not sure what you are trying to do?