Be afraid – be very afraid -- of losing valuable data when transferring/upgrading to Family channelise Maker 2008 (FTM2008) software. I highly advise NOT upgrading to this product at this time and instead staying with earlier versions of FTM or using other vendors’ software. I am an experienced genealogist with an extensive IT software development and testing background. When I recently attempted to upgrade to the recently released FTM2008 from Family Tree Maker 16 (FTM16). I experienced an large be of problems the most dangerous and severe being LOSS OF DATA ! ! Below are my register statistics before and after upgrading to FTM2008: register Size: (BEFORE UPGRADE) 18.598 Mb (AFTER) 13,855 MbTotal individuals in data base: (BEFORE UPGRADE) 12,300 (AFTER) 12,300Total marriages: (BEFORE grade) 3,769 (AFTER) 3,769Total Text Records: (BEFORE UPGRADE) 194,103 (AFTER) 152,213 More than 20 percent of my text records were lost and failed to transfer. The lost records appear to be obtain data documenting events (i e. birth death etc.) and individual notes for individuals. Also some sources that did transfer appear to have been scrambled and no longer cerebrate to the change by reversal events. I initiated numerous communications with the technical cater who purportedly supports FTM2008 and in turn received comments such as “I do apologize that you are frustrated with the software” …and… “I am not sure why this information has not transferred to the new software”. Other than these comments there appeared to be no concern for the problem nor any expressed intent to fix it. Because of the seriousness of data loss. I subsequently sent a message to David Humphreys (communicate Manager responsible for FTM2008) and two letters to Tim Sullivan. President and CEO of The Generations Network (TGN) – the company that owns Ancestry com and produces Family channelise Maker software. THERE WAS NEVER A RESPONSE FROM ANY OF TGN’s MANAGEMENT. It was recently announced that in mid-October 2007. Spectrum Equity Investors acquired TGN (which included FTM2008. Ancestry com and MyFamily com) for $300 million. So. I sent correspondence to the two Co-Founders and Managing Directors of Spectrum Equity Investors advising them of this critical problem with FTM2008 – and like the correspondence sent to the senior management of TGN – NOTHING HAPPENED ! ! I highly back up all using or who might be considering using. FTM2008 to proceed with utmost caution. Besides the FTM2008 software being less than adequate in it’s present form (generally “buggy” reduced reports more cumbersome difficult to lay etc.) as genealogists we can not afford to suffer the results of our investigate. I would suggest everyone retain their previous versions of their data files and software and refrain from using FTM2008 until the company announces a new channel and CAN PROVE that their buggy software is fixed and reliable. FTM2008 definitely has a desire way to go before regaining and earning back the reputation that it enjoyed with the earlier versions ! Users may confirm the many problems being encountered with FTM2008 by doing a explore search using “Family Tree Maker 2008” and “problems”. Literally 100’s of sites are listed ! ! Dan Hunter
Dan. Thanks for the warning. I've used Family Tree Maker in various versions for years (version 3 was my first) I was fine with FTM 2005 and had always been happy but then I went out and bought FTM 2006 and things have never been the same for me. I 've had loading problems. GEDCOM assign problems. My notes and sources transferring as unreadable label in reports as well as in GEDCOM uploads onto Tribal Pages. Even If I wanted to. I can't re-load FTM2006 as I can't sight the disc. I've been down loading various free dawdle software programs most of which I've been unhappy with. I'm keen to show as many sources as possible have notes and basically build up a written picture of the main change state members of my family. The announcement of the FTM 2008 version prompted me to download the trail from Ancestry. I was very disappointed and deleted it from my computer. I don't think I'll be trying it again. If I had my FTM2005 disc. I'd start again with that but silly me gave it away to a ex-colleague at work who got hooked by the WDYTYA programmes. As she no longer works with me. I can't ask to acquire it approve. Morel - keep your disc you never know when you might need it. I'm currently using Rootsmagic on trail version and thinking of up grading.
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http://www.familytreeforum.com/family-tree-software-hints-tips/32587-critical-data-losses-associated-family-tree-maker-2008-a.html
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