Purchasing FTM - is download-only sufficient?

[[Ray]]

Copy the downloaded file to your usb "stick".
Create a text file, using say "Notepad" ( if Windows ) and put a note of anything you deem relevant into the text file. eg Serial number, date, where you got it from, etc., etc..Copy that text file to your usb "stick" as well.
R

[Rosinish]

Why not contact MacKiev and ask them the question before you spend an extra £25. If they can reassure you that you can download it again you'll save yourself £25

It depends what you mean by 'again' i.e. how often/different comps & the procedure?

My FTM 2006 disc has been installed on a minimum of 10 separate comps which doesn't require anymore than simply placing it in the CD slot, no reg. no or password required.

Annie

[Ewan]

Hi

Back it up ( copy it to a usb stick? )

R

Hi, it's me again.  When you say "back it up" do you mean the program or the information that you have loaded through the program.  I ask because years ago I wondered about this, if I lost my family history program disc or it was damaged and I could no longer use it (would not be able to see my family tree).  I asked (not Rootschat) it there was any way that this disc could be copied, but I don't think there was an answer, meaning probably it wasn't possible

[diplodicus]

I am an FTM user (and fan). I see little point in purchasing "hard" media since I will always upgrade to the new version.

I found Mackiev helpful when I migrated from Microsoft to Apple and incurred no additonal costs.

Once loaded, you can secure all your data "in the cloud" for free. I have a free "dropbox" account that gives me 2 Gb off-site storage and I direct FTM to make a copy there (and a couple of other places too!).

[josey]

When you say "back it up" do you mean the program or the information that you have loaded through the program. 

I hope I have understood your question correctly  . The software [programme] is the window through which you see the data [information]. As long as you back up your family history data frequently to a universally used type of file - typically a .gedcom - you can view it on any family tree software; it will not matter if your original disk or download is corrupted as you can upload the data onto another platform or software.

[diplodicus]

The joy (for me) of a full FTM backup of my Ancestry data is that it includes all the images, photographs, etc. that I have added to various people in my tree. Ayes, aGEDOM file preserves the letters and numbers but not the gifs, jpegs, tiffs and other things beyond my pay grade.

As I hope I said, I'm not too bothered about the application software because MacKiev were there when needed them.

My whole system backs up every hour to an Apple "Time Capsule". It's in the house I know, but if that burnt down, frankly my tree is unlikely to be a priority for some time!!

[Ewan]

When you say "back it up" do you mean the program or the information that you have loaded through the program. 

I hope I have understood your question correctly  . The software [programme] is the window through which you see the data [information]. As long as you back up your family history data frequently to a universally used type of file - typically a .gedcom - you can view it on any family tree software; it will not matter if your original disk or download is corrupted as you can upload the data onto another platform or software.

Hi Josey thank you for your help, if I remember correctly all I used to do was 'file save' when in the program, and saved information to a usb stick or disc.  I can't remember to be honest whether it registered as a .gedcom (is this what would of happened) and I am looking forward to seeing this again in the near future. 

Going back to my original query, would it/is it possible to copy the disc containing the software program, I am beginning to think that this would not/is not possible 

[josey]

If you ask a FH programme to 'save file' or 'back up' it will, I believe, save it as a file specific to that  software. With the 2 platforms I have used [FTM 2010 & Roots Magic 7] you have to select to save to a .gedcom specifically. As diplodicus says, this will only save text data, but as I don't have any media items attached it is fine for me.

I ask because years ago I wondered about this, if I lost my family history program disc or it was damaged and I could no longer use it (would not be able to see my family tree). 

When you say you cannot see your family tree if the original disk was lost or damaged, that's not true if you have an up to date .gedcom as you can import this into any other software you acquire.

To go back to your other question, I do not know!!

[RJ_Paton]

If you ask a FH programme to 'save file' or 'back up' it will, I believe, save it as a file specific to that  software. With the 2 platforms I have used [FTM 2010 & Roots Magic 7] you have to select to save to a .gedcom specifically. As diplodicus says, this will only save text data, but as I don't have any media items attached it is fine for me.

While true of the majority, some programs e.g. Family Historian from Calico Pie use gedcom as their file system

I ask because years ago I wondered about this, if I lost my family history program disc or it was damaged and I could no longer use it (would not be able to see my family tree). 

Once installed on your computer the program is "self sufficient" in that it does not need the original installation media to run . Therefore in order to meet your disaster criteria you would need to lose/damage the information disc AND lose/damage/change your computer but then again any sensible computer user always has their information backed up.

PS using specialised software it is also possible to create an emergency back up of everything on your computers hard drive (programs and data)  for the ultimate emergency recovery.