Take part in study on PFAS 'forever chemicals' in eggs

[redhotchick]

It's my dad's birthday next week. I want to buy some software to help build a family tree with him. I have an i-pad but suspect that the software I've found so far won't be compatible. I could probably use my brothers lap top, and I think I might be more comfortable using a windows based application. I'm a complete beginner at this and my dad is not familiar with using computers.

I've discussed family history with my parents in the past, I need to document it though - my memory is terrible!

[yvonne]

I would buy a subscription

to something like ancestry.co.uk which includes a tree building module and also access to online records. I did it for a few months and loved it. It is something you could start together and then maybe investigate specific relatives separaty. Wish i'd done it before my parents died.

[redhotchick]

Hi Yvonne, thanks for reply. The software I'm looking at includes either a 3 or 6 month subscription to Ancestry. I'm partly looking at the software to save money on the subscription. The 2011 version is half the price of the 2012 version, but gives the same 6 month membership.... I think I'll go for the 2011 version, from what I can see the main difference with the 2012 software is being able to sync a desktop version of my family tree with the online one.

If anyone has used either (or both) I'd love to hear what you think. As I say I'm starting from scratch with this, I may get everything I want with the 2011 version or I might end up kicking myself that I saved a few pounds and then decide to get the 2012 version.

[jasperaliceuk]

I bought the 2012 version a few months ago mainly because I tend to use the computer and Ancestry to build my tree but, should I ever stop my Ancestry membership, I wanted to make sure I had a version to keep which wasn't web based. I had a horror that all my research would just disappear online!

 

To be honest I don't use the software that often but use it as a backup so that it is always uptodate, as Ancestry backs the online tree up to it. I also use Ipad and Iphone so any changes I make on that are synced to Ancestry and then to the software package. I just like to cover all bases.

 

Sue

[redhotchick]

Thanks Sue.

Another question...if my family tree is likely to head towards Ireland, will I need Worldwide membership of Ancestry? Or does premium membership give access to Irish records?

[majorbloodnock]

You could possibly look at Gramps. The fact that it's open source means it's entirely free, leaving you able to direct your budget entirely at memberships and so forth. However, since it's open source, some of the documentation (generally to do with installation) might be a bit geeky. I should also point out that whilst it appears to be pretty comprehensive (I've looked at it a bit for my mother and sister), I haven't used it myself, so can't comment too heavily.

[redhotchick]

Thanks Major, I'm struggling to make that link work. Possibly because I'm on an iPad? My faithful laptop has caught a virus and seems to have given up the ghost!

I only started looking into my ancestry at the weekend and I am completely hooked!

As luck would have it a new starter in work today has done a lot of research into his own family history and has offered me his expertise. At the same time my aunt from Dublin has turned up on a surprise visit. Her daughter has researched a lot of my mother's side of the family already!

It's funny how the universe brings everything together when it's meant to be isn't it!