Software
Review of: |
 Family Reunion 97.1 is a program for the genealogy “hobbyist.” It offers a variety of rich features that will allow it to be used effectively by the novice or the expert genealogist. However, I can only speak from the hobbyist’s viewpoint because I cannot accurately represent myself as an expert “genealogist.” I have dabbled with some other genealogy programs but have not had the time nor the inclination to learn them thoroughly enough to master them. The format for this genealogy program is quite familiar to those of us who are used to the “Windows” environment. The documentation tells the user that the program has a GUI (Graphical User Interface) and that it was designed for use with Windows 95/98/NT 32-bit operating systems. Based on my experience with this program, it can be very complex, depending on how much information you want to include about your family. You can record and track scores of family facts, events, places and dates. A great deal of the power in these programs is relative to the amount of time and effort you are willing to invest to develop adequate understanding of the process. Genealogy software programs and the research that makes up the backbone of genealogy is not rocket science but it can be time-consuming and difficult. My advice for someone wanting to learn more about genealogy is to get some basic understanding of the process first and then start using the tools of the trade, such as genealogy software programs. On the other hand, if you approach genealogy from a less serious angle, you can take one of the more broad-spectrum programs and fairly quickly develop at least basic genealogy research skills. There are many programs available for genealogy research. This one is powerful and I am going to tell you some of the strengths and weaknesses I found in using it. FAMware Computer Software for the Family is the name of the company that developed and markets this program. They have been making it since 1982, and have gone through many enhancements, revisions and updates over the years. Family Reunion 5.0 was released in 1995 and in 1997, the company decided to release products with the release year indicated in the title. Family Reunion 97.0 was released in January and 97.1, the current product was released in November that same year. It shows a good track record and is favorably priced. Previous customers pay $19.95 and new customers are charged $29.95 for either downloading or getting the program on disks. As I indicated earlier, there is power in this package. Ease of use is probably one of the main strengths. Data can be entered using dialog boxes, edit fields and check boxes. Windows type scroll bars, radio buttons and tool bars enhance program navigation. Person-Family or Person-Ancestor windows automatically link related persons. Built-in text files make it easy to record and save research notes, personal notes or reminders or other pertinent information. One can easily import and export data, including GEDCOM files, which is essential to any genealogy program. Finally, photo pedigree charts that can go back 4, 5 or 6 generations are the stars of the report portion of the program. There may be others who see the pedigree charts, ancestor charts, family group sheets, or extended family charts as most important. Suffice it to say there is much more to the program than I have indicated here. Some weaknesses are inherent in such a robust piece of software and you are even warned in the program literature that there is a steep learning curve. One problem I ran into was when I made a mistake in the database, entering information and then tried to correct my error improperly (my fault for skimming over rather than reading the directions), I hung up the system and was unable to find a proper way to exit. This caused a Ctree error (error in the database) and the solution was to go to the Person-Family link window and press the Rebuild button. This allowed the program to rebuild the offending database, correcting the error. In addition to the e-mail technical support, some problems will undoubtedly arise. When they do, the first step is to be sure you have read the User’s Manual and/or Startup Guide. The logical next step, which many of us often ignore is to go directly to the help files. These are really good ones and provided me with the earlier solution without me having to e-mail and then wait for an e-mail reply. There are plenty of Special Reports that some other programs do not offer, including residences, employment, medical information, life-span listing and missing data listing, among others. The program requires a Windows based environment (95, 98 or NT), Pentium processor, 16 MB of RAM, VGA or better graphics display, a mouse, 5 MB of hard drive space, a 3-½ inch floppy disk drive, and a Windows capable printer. Extra benefits can be gained with Internet and e-mail capability since all technical support is provided via e-mail. On the Internet, they can be contacted for more information or to order the product from the FAMware home page.
Larry Grosskopf is a Clinical Psychologist at the San Antonio State Hospital, with a strong interest in computers. He and his wife Marta are raising two children, Zoë, age 7 and Jackson, age 5. |