Unfortunately this version comes with additional "information" cd's. These are a waste. Buy the program alone.

The additional cd's are a waste of space, money and time. Even the program to search the cd's take a long time and do not actually provide you with data. I rate this product with only 3 stars because of all of the useless garbage attatched to it.
I'm sure there are cheaper programs that will help to organize your information, for $90 I expected a little better.

"Skip the data"
Wouldn't it be nice if Amazon would sell the "program only" option on this product (which is available elsewhere)? I concur with several other reviewers that the data CD's are useless for most users.

The program is good, and the program is available without the data CD's and the membership for a lot less. I generally find that people into geneology are willing to share their data at no charge, and kinda expect others to do the same.

"Sometimes the most popular software is the best available"
First of all, the current version out on the shelves, Family Tree Maker 11, as well as 10, do not have 35 CDs. It has the number given in the manufacturer's description above. I also have to add that these two recent editions do NOT have any ads within the program, nor do they tell you to update. This also must have been something else that occured in an earlier version.

Now, I have to say that if you do most of your genealogy research via your PC you need to buy either Family Tree Maker Deluxe or Basic. I'm not saying this to be cute. I'm saying this because it comes with a reader that Genealogical.com uses for many of its CDs. Not only that, but if you publish your GEDcom on the web, FTM appears to have the most seamless process and translation of your GEDcom.

I didn't start out with FTM, I started out with the Generations program, published by Sierra, bought out by Broderbund which is the same publisher of FTM, and not exactly the favored child. So, I felt I had to move on to FTM.

You are going to have to spend some time learning the program. Luckily, the guide that comes with it is perfectly adequate and there is no need to buy the published book for it.

Using the program, you will find the database well designed. When you add notes, though, you will find the interface a bit clunky. However, you're not going to find a better program out there. After purchasing FTM 10, I decided I would move on to the Master Genealogist, because I had heard it was more flexible regarding notes. It is, to a point, but it's a very unpleasant program to use in comparison, and the reports you can generate with FTM are surprisingly better. FTM version 11 lets you save/export in PDF files more than ever, which is very helpful if you have family members who do not own any genealogical software.

Now, this said, the charts that FTM generates are horrible. Chances are you will either have to fill out blank ones by hand, if you don't want to spend an afternoon with the FTM printed pages, a tape dispenser and scissors. FTM does not even have a cascading pedigree chart, which will add to you spending a lot of time numbering what you do get out of it. Or you might have to buy a charting companion. My old Generations program has a great charting tool (Easy Tree) which I still use instead.

As well, the family group sheets generated aren't very good. You can customize to have as little or as much information as you'd like, but the actual layout of the sheets are not exactly innate for the eye. You will do better by using the program, publishing a GEDcom on the web, and printing off of the host site. Seriously.

The timelines, are also not helpful. Not as many people use timelines, but they are necessary in doing serious detective work on a family or if you are going to put together a retrospective on an individual's life.

There are small extras that deserve mention, scrapbooks, which let you create a photo album, and/or slide show. (This is not a digital scrapbook, just the term they use for organizing photos by person.) I found it an adequate tool, but I would rather have the option of adding photos to group sheets, charts and reports instead.

There are data CDs included in the package. Basically, they're just a tool to get you on the web and researching, which is what you know to do already. They are superfluous.

It should be noted that FTM is connected to genealogy.com, which has been bought out by ancestry.com. I don't know how this will affect doing research via your FTM window in the future.

On the Family Tree Maker web pages themselves. They're very pleasant pages but aren't of much use to you until you have done quite a lot of specific research already. They're not databases or photo albums, but places to display research plus a few photos and a brief introduction. Perfectly nice, but not what you might think you get. The good news is that the program walks you through creating your page and it turns out well.

In any case, the obvious strengths of FTM are data entry, report generating, and web publishing. The weaknesses are charting and group sheet generating. You may or may not find it helpful as a research aid. So, this is not at all a five star product but it's still the best you can buy.

"Using it for years...."
I purchased the original software and have upgraded regularly and it is very easy to use and very easy to look up folk and combination etc.

Would recommend to any family researcher that wants accurate and complete records. Options for information is endless and it will do books of your information for you with the data you have entered.

bloody good software this...

"Easy to Use for the Basics"
I am a first-time user and purchased #8. I found it to be easy to use and understand, and the ability to print out nice looking family trees is great. However of the 35 CDs that came with the #8 Deluxe package, I found one useful and the others excess baggage. If you get the cheapest version of FTM, you'll get your money's worth. Any more and you'll have a lot of spare CDs to use as drink coasters for your hot chocolate. The strengths of the program are it's ease of use, the ability to include photos and "scrapbook" info, and to print attractive trees. The weaknesses of the program are the misleading advertising that makes you think you can use it for researching and the frustrating "buy, buy, buy" pitch at every turn. I would recommend FTM, but mainly as a good basic database.