| Undertaking genealogy (the study of family | | | | that you can tell the story in a more entertaining |
| history and ancestry) is an increasingly popular | | | | way that you can share with others. Perhaps |
| passion all over the world. Learning about your | | | | you'll want to produce an ancestor pedigree |
| family's past - where they began, what happened | | | | report, a graphic timeline showing people and |
| to them, and what individual ancestors did - is a | | | | events, or a comprehensive family chart that |
| great way to enhance your sense of self, rebuild | | | | depicts whole family branches and their |
| relationships with your relatives, and learn about | | | | relationships. |
| fascinating events in history. | | | | Clearly, before you purchase genealogy software, |
| No matter why you choose to conduct family | | | | you'll want to give careful thought to what you |
| genealogy, you'll find genealogy software an | | | | want and need to do to gather the information |
| excellent time-saving tool. Many different brands | | | | and how you'll want to assemble and present the |
| of genealogy software are available at | | | | information when you're done. |
| comparable prices and features. They make it | | | | Here are some important criteria you should keep |
| easier to find data, organize and analyze the | | | | in mind as you assess genealogical software |
| information you've collected, and create | | | | packages to find the one that best meets your |
| documents that bring your findings together in an | | | | needs: |
| interesting, creative package. Most programs | | | | * Ease of use. You'll want genealogy software |
| include the well-known family tree among features | | | | that's user-friendly. Clear instructions, well laid-out |
| to help you create charts, maps, and narrative | | | | navigation, and efficient data entry forms will save |
| accounts of your family's history. | | | | you much time and confusion. |
| To find the genealogy software that best meets | | | | * Setup and installation. Your genealogy software |
| your needs, you'll need to do some research. For | | | | should be easy to download and install. It should |
| example, the 2008 Genealogy Software Review | | | | have clear and simple instructions for installation. |
| compares 10 different software packages on a | | | | Your setup options should be logical and |
| number of factors including features, usability, | | | | straightforward. And installation and setup steps |
| reporting capability, and help and support. It also | | | | should be clear and unambiguous to avoid |
| offers detailed narrative evaluations of each | | | | frustrating confusion and errors that will haunt you |
| package. ConsumerSearch.com, a popular product | | | | later on. You'll also want to be sure that your |
| review website, also evaluates five top software | | | | computer equipment can handle the genealogy |
| packages. | | | | software. What type of operating system, |
| You'll also want to check out articles on genealogy | | | | processor speed, and graphics card are necessary |
| research and genealogy software to learn from | | | | to run the software without hang-ups and |
| others' experience and help identify your unique | | | | slow-downs. |
| interests and requirements. You'll be making an | | | | * Features. How do you plan to use the |
| investment of personal time and money when | | | | genealogy software? You may want more |
| you purchase genealogy software, so be sure | | | | features to help you conduct research and |
| you make the best personal choice by making an | | | | perform data searches, not caring so much about |
| educated choice. | | | | creating a family tree or graphics at the end of |
| Whether you're a professional genealogist or an | | | | the research process. On the other hand, you |
| individual with a passion for your own family's | | | | may already have much of the information and |
| history, the right genealogy software will make | | | | data you plan to use. Perhaps you need software |
| your work easier and more rewarding. It will cut | | | | that will help you create attractive and interesting |
| down on the number of dead ends, delays, and | | | | graphics, charts, maps, and narratives |
| barriers in your path, and it will save effort in | | | | summarizing your findings. |
| compiling and presenting your findings. | | | | * Software support. If you don't have a lot of |
| One outstanding benefit of genealogy software is | | | | experience with using software, you'll need a |
| the range of products you can create to organize | | | | comprehensive help function including a detailed |
| your work, document your research, and present | | | | glossary, step-by-step instructions for specific |
| your findings. For example, you may need an | | | | tasks, and a way to contact the company directly |
| organized printable checklist of steps involved in | | | | for answers for your questions and personal help |
| genealogical research if you're a beginner. This will | | | | with difficult tasks. |
| help you keep track of progress and avoid | | | | Modern technology has made the job of |
| skipping over an important task. You may want | | | | genealogical research an easier, more rewarding |
| to generate ancestor charts that show the direct | | | | project. Genealogy software is valuable tool for |
| line of individual ancestors. Or you may want the | | | | getting the best possible results when you |
| ability to create narrative ancestor reports so | | | | research your family's history and ancestry. |