What is a Family Tree Maker?

According to Wikipedia encyclopedia, “Family Tree Maker is genealogy software that allows a researcher to keep track of information collected during research and to create reports, charts, and books containing that information.

Here is a little trivia for you.  Kenneth Hess created the first Family Tree Maker, and it released in September 1989.  It has been twenty-nine years, since its creation.  Not only has it changed hands numerous times, so has the iterations.

Family Tree Maker

Its current owner MacKiev officially released the last iteration of the “Family Tree Maker 2017” July 16, 2017.  So, one could say; that Mr. Hess, set the trend for genealogy software twenty-nine years ago. Today, there is a gazillion other genealogy software on the market with similar names and purpose: for example:

• Family Tree Builder; by myheritage.com
• Legacy 9; by legacyfamilytree.com
• Family Historian 6; by family-historian.co.uk
• RootsMagic 7; by rootsmagic.com

As a result, of so many kinds of software on the market for the family tree maker, for the average Joe or Joann, it is hard to choose. Having abundant choices often lead to confusion.  Consequently, people are unsure of which software is correct for them or will fit their needs.  Fortunately, for us, plenty of Professional Reviewers online help us sort it out. So, these services sure make our lives easier.

Therefore, here is a link to a Professional Reviewer, Mark Orwig, for instance.  He did a review entitled, “Best Genealogy Software;” check it out if you are curious and want to see his entire analysis.

Mark Orwig Analysis

Regardless, briefly stated, he said, all genealogy software has similar functions, in that, they:

• Let you build a family tree
• Record information dates, locations, relationships of family members
• Allows you to document your research, sources, and provide a link to your Family Tree.
• You can also maintain multiple databases and charts, as well as, print them out with your reports
• Modern genealogy  online database providers offer many useful services; such as storage of your data,  backups to safeguard  your audio, video recordings,  scans of your relatives and documents, hints, and clues to more searches
• Export your information to other genealogy programs; and import specific online data
• Download information directly from some companies’ online assets
• Also, map your ancestors’ history from Long ago

So, that brings us to a poignant question. If all genealogy software is similar, why does it matter which one we pick?  The answer is some family tree maker software is better than others are at specific tasks; hence, the best software is the one that solves your particular problem and needs.

Now that we have established that most genealogy software as Family Tree Builder, Family Tree Maker, Legacy 9, Family Historian 6 and Roots Magic 7 are about the same. It boils down to your preference. However, if you desire software that is different from the run of the mill software, well, The Photo Family Tree Builder (PFTB) is for you.

 

 

Just how different is the Photo Family Tree Builder?

I am glad you asked? For one thing, look at the output in the table above. The Photo Family Tree Builder app allows the creation of beautiful, unique Family Trees that mimic real trees. Its production is very different from all the rest of the family tree makers. That is why the United States Patent and Trademark Office granted it a patent number. No two trees are ever the same. So, each user customizes their family tree according to their genealogy, family history, and taste.

Two, the PFTB is a specialized photo Graphical User Interface, (GUI). The GUI makes a variety of family trees. Therefore, anyone can use it; even school kids can use it to create family trees for a school project.  Seniors can use it as a project:  by themselves, with friends, or with their grandkids. There is no hurry; everyone can take his or her time building his or her family tree. They can work at their own pace. So, their work does not reside on a server somewhere but stays the user’s PC. They save it, open the tree file; work on it, and save it as many times as necessary to make the perfect family tree. There is no rush.

Three, if one is a family historian or a genealogist; they use this tool, in conjunction with those other research-based software and database sites.  One merely uses the PFTB to create elegant displays for themselves and others.

The tool

• Patented Number: 9,947,122 B2
• Requires hardly in research when using the Copper, Bronze, or Silver plans
• PFTB’s symbols of the tree parts are easy to understand
  • Ability to feature photos of your ancestors; and extended family members
  • Comes with a plurality for picture frames, and non-frames, branches, leaves, and End Caps use for decorating and showing the end of a lineage
  • Customizable, flexible, and expandable through some generations; Gold Plan
  • Describes family members and relationships at a glance
  • The ability to differentiate between married couples unmarried couples
  • Tell the differences between nuclear families and incorporate blended families
  • Has the ability to show adopted children, single and multiple births of children
  • Allow the inclusion of same-sex marriages in the family tree
• The Photo Family Tree Builder comes with:
  • Text tool:  records snippets of information, namely, names and dates on frames.
  • Photo Palette: import and store family photos of your ancestors while building
  • Tree Parts Palette: houses the scalable vector graphics (SVG) templates needed for the family tree: seven different Tree types  available
  • CutEdges:  Removes the excess area of a photo from around the picture frames
  • Group:  Merge two pictures, and they as become one
  • Images: can be flipped and rotated
  • Built-in image editor:  allows you to isolate and separate people from one photo
  • Backgrounds: use any suitable picture for a backdrop, which makes the composition more interesting

• The output:

• • Commercial four-color poster sized:  printed by FedEx
  • Four sizes:  16”x20”, 18”x24”, 20”x24” and 24”x36.”
  • Delivery:  Pick up at FedEx Office Center near you, $19.99 for deliveries within 35 miles radius from FedEx Office Center.  Beyond that, regular shipping and handling charges apply.

DOWNLOAD HERE

Summary

If you are a historian or a genealogist, Photo Family Tree Builder solves an age-old problem. That is, what is the best way to show off one’s hard work, other than using charts, reports or books? After all, one has done the research, knows the family’s story, and gathered related photos. After that, one place all that collected information in charts, reports and tucks it away somewhere. A place usually no one else sees; unless one pulls it out for showing someone.  Using the family tree maker (PFTB) solves that problem. The harvested information goes on a wall for all to see.   On the other hand, if one is an average person who, merely, wants to personalize their home with family photos.  This software makes family trees straightforward and fun too. In either case, the App makes a tremendous gift for someone.

Download the family tree maker (PFTB) directly to a local PC. It comes with instructional videos and manual to help people get started. This is not a research-based software and database. It enhances research by allowing the creation of one-kind-family Tree displays. That is, the GUI lets one construct incredible family tree displays exclusively.

Make Family Tree

In many cases, there is no research evolved, use readily available photographs. If a picture is not available, it has a substitute non-picture frame that blends in perfectly. When a snapshot becomes available, remove the substitute and insert the photo. Leisurely, construct a tree, after all; time is required to assemble all the photographs needed for the project. Then, scan them into the computer.

Finally, once done with scanning, one is ready to start designing their Tree. Import the photos of relatives, as needed into the Photo Palette. Then, arrange the images in chronological order around the family tree. Therefore, if one wants the names and essential dates of each family member recorded, they use the text tool to identify each person in photo frames. Is the family tree finished? Yes!  Print, frame and hang it. It is easy as one, two, and three.

 

 

Photo by Jaci XIII
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.