Can You Search For Ancestors With Genealogy Software?
My boyfriend is very much interested in genealogy and I want to get him a genealogy gift for Christmas. If I buy him genealogy software, such as Legacy, will he be able to search for ancestors? Or is genealogy software only a way to organize family trees? Also, what is a good genealogy search site that I could buy him a subscription to? Thanks for any help.
- *Continuing the discussion from the original post found here.
Most genealogy software, including Legacy, has a free download version. Before purchasing any of them for your boyfriend, I’d strongly suggest you try them out. Even if you’re not interested in genealogy, you should be able to tell whether it is too simple or overly-complex, whether it does searches, etc.
Most, I believe, will not allow searches of commercial databases. Most databases of genealogical information are not free. The big exception is the IGI, which can be extremely useful and extremely frustrating. Some of the data on it comes from formal sources but much is user-generated and prone to horrible errors.
The best on-line site to access the genealogical sources is Ancestry.com. Some dislike it, and the user-generated content is of debatable value, but it has the broadest range of data available. It is an invaluable tool for anyone serious about genealogy. You do not say where your boyfriend’s family comes from but it comes in US/Canada/UK or Worldwide editions.
Good luck.
Genealogy software is a great way to organize people and data.
I collected my family history(s) on a software program, Family Tree, for about 15 years and was very happy with it; still have it on my desktop computer.
Now, I subscribe to ancestry.com, a paid site, in order to gain access to Census, birth, death, marriage and military records, as well as other subscribers trees.
I still back-up my findings every week, as a precaution.
Free sites:http://www.familysearch.org is a great site for a beginner to become familiarized with collecting and logging data.
They also have free printable charts and forms, which can be used to create a paper trail of data collected from family members, cemeteries, family Bibles, etc., prior to organizing it on the on-line site.http://www.rootsweb.com is a free Q&A forum, owned by ancestry.com. http://www.findagrave.com is a free site and may have some bio info.
Paid sites:http://www.ancestry.com will cost you $159.40 annually.http://www.genealogy.com is about $199.00 annually and is owned by ancestry.
If you give your boyfriend a subscription to a paid site, there is no need for an additional genealogy program.
Even if he decides not to renew the subscription, he can create a CD in GEDCOM format, before the expiration date and use it with most reputable programs and sites, especially familysearch.org.
Tell him to be careful; genealogy can be addicting!
Personally.. I suggest Personal Ancestral file which is free, and great to start with.. then decide if he wants to upgrade to a “paid” program. On the other hand.. I believe (don’t quote me) that some programs include subscription to Ancestry.com. That would hit both counts.
The programs GENERALLY are a place to store data, while online sites have the data to search. Ancestry is the best known, and has all census records, which are a key record. You don’t mention if you are US or UK, it does make a difference. http://genealogy-software-review.toptenr…
you can do some comparing here.
Off hand, you are a sweetie. Genealogy is known to be very absorbing, so your patience and understanding is a bonus. You might get pulled into it, by exposure. *smile*. Think like a never ending crossword puzzle, and the fun is each new challenge then the solving. Boyfriend is clearly an inquisitive type. Some spouses become irritated at the time involved in research.. thus if you are part of the process, you play along, and not left out.
Have fun!
Ancestry.com is the best for me.
Caution: searching for ancestors is addicting.