Family Tree Maker
 

Just come across this:
http://blogs.ancestry.com/ancestry/

I just received an email about this too.

I love this program and don't want it to go. I love how easily you can attach records to your tree.

The reason software sales are declining is that the program is so expensive, at least down under.

I'm going to need referrals to new programs eventually as I wont put my tree online. :(

This is a really poor decision, and one I don't really understand. My current sub runs out in February, and it was always my intention to get my trees finished by then, which I am well on course to do. However, what on earth are people to do now, in terms of syncing information and printing different types of tree and chart?

I hope more information is provided as to the reasoning behind this, but I now find it very unlikely I will ever renew my sub. It's already expensive, and now it just seems like it will make things a lot more difficult.

Reading the comments on the blog there are a lot of unhappy customers out there.

I wonder how badly ancestry will be affected by this decision. If FMP have ever thought of doing a tree program now would be the time to make the announcement.

It's also going to have the side effect (maybe intentional?) of eliminating a cheapish source of Ancestry subscriptions.

I still use FTM 2006 as I prefer that version. No longer have my tree on Ancestry and stopped my subs there over two years ago.

I shall just continue to use FTM though.

I also have FTM 2006 and although I also have a tree on ancestry, I manually update both separately and I only add records to the ancestry one, so the changes won't affect me as far as I can see.

Is there any real alternative to FTM? If I have got this correct, and reading comments on other sites, there is a complete move away from desktop genealogical programs towards complete online affairs. Which is all well and good, provided you can actually access your data offline as well.

I had a minor panic attack over that Ancestry email. (As you know Kate), I only uploaded my tree for the first time a few months back. But obviously the actual FTM will keep working - until something goes wrong and there's no backup or way of fixing it. So I guess we are all going to have to start looking for something new, even if we don't use it for a while.

It depends what you want, I suppose. I've never used FTM.

I prefer desktop to ipad/laptop for doing genealogy - I also like to be able to print off charts and reports so have a paper backup and for when I can't get access to the internet.

A lot of people started genealogy by getting a FTM with the free sub and once addicted carried on from there. If they don't get the FTM in the first place the enthusiasm probably won't be there. Think Ancestry may have shot themselves in the foot.