Genealogy Chat

I understand the frustrating disadvantages of GR, there is nothing we can do about those problems cropping up, like with the export facility that couldn't cope with more than 2,000 names on my tree, so I had to take so much off to try and export until a few months ago before the under maintenance took over. I can't wait for my export to return so I can update my Rootsweb gedcom from there! No other websites is as good as GR but still GR has a long way to go to improve in many ways. I don't even like the colour of the site, not good for those with colour-blindness or shortsightedness. I have complained to GR many times in the past about any problems on it. Either they bypass my query or ignored it! While I am a paying member, like you, there is nothing I can do, just a matter of waiting for the export facility to repair, maybe changing the colours; and for the time being just keep updating my GR database.

Margaret: I understand now, sorry for any confusion! Darren: I agree with you concerning computer-generated family trees. I have been experimenting with drafting a tree using a graphics program myself, although I suppose that HTML is arguably better and is something that I am also going to look into. As for storing your records in Utah, I'd recommend it; it's beautiful over there! Nature at its most magnificent, especially when the leaves start changing colour.

Well, Ill get some local to do that for me! No doubt one of them will claim to be my long lost relative.

Heather, under a mountain is simply not enough, it has to be incribed onto giant rust-proof metal plates!

Actually ..............if you do want to store your info under a mountain in Utah, just send it to the Mormons familysearch site - they do it for you.

I'm only a novice here, so I don't know whether my opinion counts so much due to my lack of experience - particularly as I have my own opinion runs kilter to the general feeling in this thread. I have Family Tree Maker 2006 and have just started to put my tree together on there. Whilst the tree programme on here will have its limitations, I do think it has some merits. I like the fact that it's web-based and I can fiddle with it wherever I am, not just on the computer where I have Family Tree Maker installed. Again, whilst it has limitations, I actually like and prefer the GUI of the tree programme on here compared to Family Tree Maker. I think it's more intuitive and I prefer its aesthetic qualities - no matter how much I fiddle with Family Tree Maker it always looks and feels bulky and clumsy. As weird as this may sound to some, I prefer my hard copy drafts that I put together myself in Quark Xpress to anything printed I've seen and whilst I haven't used that much family tree-related software myself, I've seen the results from quite a few of them. Yes, the export and backing-up problem here has its ramifications, but unless you take the Scientologist route and store your tree inscribed on metal plates beneath a New Mexico mountain - complete with giant symbols carved into the ground, just in case you forget which mountain it is - then backing up data is always going to have risks anyway, whether it's hard-drives, paper copies, cds or tape. Whilst the Family Tree Builder won't be suitable for everyone's needs - what piece of software ever is? - I think to write it off completely is a bit extreme.

Andrew What I mean about it not recognising the baptism date is: When you upload a gedcom to GR, unless you guess the date of birth pre 1837 and just have a baptism date on your genealogy program it misses it out in the upload. As I said, guessing dates isnt to be advised. Yes, it will show if you look at the tree, in the extra details. But, when someone looks at name lists or hot matches it wont show. It just has a name and nothing else. You must have come across that situation. GR have been promising to sort it out since this site started. Margaret

Val and Ann, dont forget to back up your FTM2006 onto a cd every now and then and put your tree on a family home page on the net (make sure you click the 'no living relatives' bit when you do it. That way you will have a belt and braces job if your puter ever goes mad.

good morning all Ann I am glad I am not the only one. I have actually ordered the family tree it should arrive this week, so as soon as I have done that wont be using this one so much. Has everybody emailed GR about this and asked when they think it might be up and running.What am I paying for I might ask for a refund after all I am not getting the service I paid for, and before anybody says well its so cheap what do you expect, I expect the service they advertise, If I bought say a Washing Machine that couldnt Spin I would expect either a repair or my money back.We dont seem to get either on here, When trying to update my Tree I either get the Happy Genes Error, yes I am so happy. or the Coffee Cup steaming.

Thanks fore the thread Valerie. Yes i,am the same trying to describe what i,am asking fore. Margaret. After reading your thread, I dont think i will bother with Gr tree, as i,ve tryed to print of the tree, & had a go of exporting the tree & nothing happends. I,am now glad i brought the family tree maker 2006. Ann.

I don't understand the remark about baptisms, there's a 'Baptism Date' field on the 'Extra Details' tab. Or are you saying that this doesn't work?

Nudging so I can come back and see any more answers;; Babs

thanks for your reply Chris I think its disgusting they say it will be working in the New Year do they mean 2007 ???? I wish I had done mine before xmas now. Margaret yes I realise that now so was trying to do another Tree but was hoping there was some way I could print the list of my names in my Tree so at least I have the names and dates of birth, I did notice when I went to my relatives and clicked on the File at the top left hand side it says import/export was wondering if I tried that would I lose the lot on here.???

This site was never designed by anyone who knew anything about genealogy. It has never been improved since day one. You cant link cousins who marry! It just duplicates them. I have loads of cousins marrying. My dad and his 2 sisters married my mum and her 2 cousins. GR cant cope with that. A genealogy program can. I have 1st cousins once removed who are also my uncles through marriage. (work that one out) It doesnt recognise a baptism date! Birth dates are not the same as baptism dates. Pre 1837 all we get is baptism dates. Some children were 'batch baptised'. All the family done on the same day, no matter how old they were. Unless the vicar wrote down their ages, who knows? My own grandmother was 6 years old when baptised in 1886. PLEASE USE A GENEALOGY PROGRAM ON YOUR OWN COMPUTER. DONT RELY ON THIS SITE. Margaret

Valerie My partner emailed support re the lack of the export facility.....Since before Christmas! The reply was...They are working on it and hope to have it back soon. How 'soon' is soon??? Chris

hi Margaret I have started to do it on a proper programme but I had already done quite a lot on here and didnt know how to export before,now I do and GR export is not working while they update it,so I was hoping to export my stuff from here to there save me listing them all again thanks a lot I know it sounds like a load of rubbish I find it hard to describe what I mean sometimes

Val I dont think so You should be doing it the other way round. Do your tree on an offline genealogy program on your computer and then export a gedcom to GR. No one should have their main source of their tree as this site. They could close it whenever they wished. it could crash through a virus. You would lose it all. Do your tree on your PC and then back it up on a CD Margaret

As Gr is still sorting out the export programme is there any way I can either back my Tree up on here or save it somewhere in case I lose everything , I am gradually doing a seperate PAF but not there yet. As you have probably gathered I am not too technical minded thanks so in easy language