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Ancestry Tree-sync & FTM 2017

canadianbeth said:
According to the e-mail I received, the pre-order price is $39.99. I will probably do the pre-order.
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My mistake - I had not fully taken in your location even though it was there in front of my eyes - I was thinking solely of the UK price.
 
Bob Spiers said:
I think there is confusion between £29.95 and C$39.95.
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That is correct Bob - I did not even consider that option as already indicated to canadianbeth.

Bob Spiers said:
However with the £::CAD$ exchange rate at around 60% that makes the Canadian dollar better value.
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That looks as though it is slightly better than taking the US$ option which I did - it came out at £24.86 compared to the UK £29.99.
This is something that I expected you to complain about (it annoyed me) - putting the UK £ on a parity with the US $ is really taking advantage of their UK customers.
 
Well, it seems that the price is $39.99 in all currencies - that's was the Australian price. Which if you think about it is about half if you translate it to pounds...
 
Bob Spiers said:
As someone who uses FTM as a 'spare broom in the cupboard' -my main programs being Ancestry itself, Tribal Pages and, (of late to replace my old faithful FTL) Legacy - so see no earthly reason to invest in the MacKiev 2017 version. Indeed am I the only one who sees into their mindset of getting people to buy their version, and then forever required to upgrade to new versions, at a 'reduced cost' of course. Or am I too much of a cynic?

I bought the Ancestry FTM 2014 version to try it out and did so and found its ability to sync with Ancestry useful and almost the only reason to keep FTM. Even so, and despite little active use of FTM, with Ancestry dropping FTM I saw no reason not to change to the free MacKiev version. Now I discover as I did not 'buy' the MacKiev 'edition' I must either choose the limited offer download, or bow out. Unless anyone can give me good reason why I should invest in a MacKiev 2017 edition I shall just bow out.
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Isn't "buy their version, and then forever required to upgrade" a common factor with proprietary software?

I use FTM to update Ancestry, with a "special" sanitised internet tree*, and have purchased many versions - though I tended to categorise the purchases as "a discounted 6 month Ancestry UK subscription with free software", usually at prices well below 50% of the equivalent subscription :rolleyes: I also use Family Historian (FH), which has rigorous checks on loading a GEDCOM rather than FTM's habit of just ignoring anything it doesn't understand. Checks are important to me, as I use a spreadsheet "database" and create GEDCOM files from CSV files of the individual sheets, and need to re-validate my system when new resources become available (such as the 1911 Census and 1939 Register). This allow me to tailor trees to any required content/purpose and takes but as moment to generate a suitable GEDCOM.

What I don't currently have is a charting program that meets my needs: FTM allows you to manually place branches etc. and they "stick", but children are attached to one parent and not the "family" link between parents; FH provides the latter layout but not the former, as it always uses "auto placement", so controlled page placement is not possible when printing multiple sheets :(

Phil

* No images, "area" addresses only, no person younger than 18, minimal but sufficient reference detail for validation ....
 
There seems to be "problems" with Ancestry trees; one of my "linked" trees is in "an unholy mess", though a few others* glanced at seem fine. Whether this is caused by the current "upgrade to Family-sync", a random event or because I connected to Ancestry with the latest FTM without thinking (resulting in a message that FTM 2017 is needed), a load of "new" marriages have been added: father/daughter, f-in-law/son-in-law and couples multi-linked with duplicated complete families ....... :eek:

Phil

* I keep separate trees for each direct ancestor (DA), though each DA is in two trees, providing the linkage.
 
PhilGee said:
Isn't "buy their version, and then forever required to upgrade" a common factor with proprietary software?
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Yes, sadly that has become the norm, but I don't have to like it.

As for the rest of your post I must say I have to stand back in awe and even though I understand CSV formatting -and have a friend who also uses a spreadsheet for his Tree and follows a similar procedure, albeit in a more relaxed fashion - you seem to have made a rod for your own back. Mind you we all do that in one form or another and it can be fun finding solutions.

I certainly understand about FTM (and many other FH programs) ignoring and reporting on GEDCOM inputs they don't understand. I suppose -using your comment about upgrades being 'a common factor with proprietary software' - it applies to most proprietary FH programs as well.

I didn't fully understand your charting comments but as long as you know what you mean I am sure with the perseverance and doggedness, that too will be resolved. Good luck anyway.
 
PhilGee said:
What I don't currently have is a charting program that meets my needs: FTM allows you to manually place branches etc. and they "stick", but children are attached to one parent and not the "family" link between parents; FH provides the latter layout but not the former, as it always uses "auto placement", so controlled page placement is not possible when printing multiple sheets :(
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Have you looked at GenoPro? It does accept (and create) Gedcom files so could be useful to you with your current setup.

I find the charts very flexible with both auto-arrange and manual placement possible. Links can be created between individuals (or duplicate copies thereof) to help keep the charts simple and uncluttered. I use the chart display as my primary interface to the data with further detailed information input and held in tables behind each individual and marriage. I maintain a separate tree for each surname with links connecting family members across trees. I have not migrated to the latest version as I am happy with the previous updated version although desirous of a few extra tweeks but accepting that they will not now be made.
 
PhilGee said:
There seems to be "problems" with Ancestry trees; one of my "linked" trees is in "an unholy mess", though a few others* glanced at seem fine. Whether this is caused by the current "upgrade to Family-sync", a random event or because I connected to Ancestry with the latest FTM without thinking (resulting in a message that FTM 2017 is needed), a load of "new" marriages have been added: father/daughter, f-in-law/son-in-law and couples multi-linked with duplicated complete families ....... :eek:

Phil

* I keep separate trees for each direct ancestor (DA), though each DA is in two trees, providing the linkage.
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Ancestry does that to me all the time - usually it's just a optical illusion (and doesn't actually change the information). It always happens to me when I want to see a member of the family who has a dual link - i.e. married their cousin. Occasionally it happens in my direct ancestral line and it looks like everyone has been added twice when they haven't.
 
It took ten weeks from placing the order, for the FTM2014.1 CD to land in my post box.
This just prior to being advised that 2014.1 would no longer sync with ancestry and that I would need to purchase FTM2017.
So one has to ask, why was MacKiev hawking CD’s that would be obsolete virtually on arrival.
My FTM2014.1 ceased to sync with ancestry on 29th March, it’s now the 2nd April (in NZ) and still no link to my pre-purchased FTM2017 in my inbox.
I’m not feeling at all comfortable with MacKiev.
 
FredC said:
It took ten weeks from placing the order, for the FTM2014.1 CD to land in my post box.
This just prior to being advised that 2014.1 would no longer sync with ancestry and that I would need to purchase FTM2017.
So one has to ask, why was MacKiev hawking CD’s that would be obsolete virtually on arrival.
My FTM2014.1 ceased to sync with ancestry on 29th March, it’s now the 2nd April (in NZ) and still no link to my pre-purchased FTM2017 in my inbox.
I’m not feeling at all comfortable with MacKiev.
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Forgive me if I'm wrong, but I think you get a free upgrade if you purchased 2014.1.

But I agree, it seemed like a matter of days from when they were pushing the upgrade and to when they were pushing the brand new program!
 
You are right, but I wasn't required to purchase Mackiev 2014.1 since I was already a user of ancestry FTM 2014. So I am not eligible to the free version of FTM 2017
In any case, I am now feeling even more uncomfortable dealing with MacKiev, since in spite of all the fanfare, they are now having issues with FTM 2017 and have delayed the release. In view of this, I would expect ancestry to do the right thing and restore the sync until the problems are sorted.
Link below.

http://mcgg-letstalkgenealogy.blogspot.co.nz/
 
trebor said:
That looks as though it is slightly better than taking the US$ option which I did - it came out at £24.86 compared to the UK £29.99.
This is something that I expected you to complain about (it annoyed me) - putting the UK £ on a parity with the US $ is really taking advantage of their UK customers.
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UK prices include 20% VAT - they're always going to be higher.
 
Several of these "updates" have ended with a reference to a forthcoming meeting with Ancestry - perhaps that is where the delay is coming from!
 
I'm beta testing both FTM and Rootsmagic. Both look quite close to shipping. I can't say any more due to the non disclosure agreement.
 
Presumably those of you who are frustrated with the delays are in the 5.2% for whom syncing isn't working? Let's hear more from the 94.8% for whom it does work!
 
peter said:
Presumably those of you who are frustrated with the delays are in the 5.2% for whom syncing isn't working? Let's hear more from the 94.8% for whom it does work!
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All of those currently using FTM 2017 are beta testers to one degree or another and will have agreed to a non disclosure agreement so it is unlikely that they will be able to say much except - for me the sync is working (I hope that this statement is OK).
 
I think you have to admit Peter that you don't write/sell software that only works for 94.8% of the people you sell it to (excluding MicroSoft obviously).

There are a couple of things that concern me, we pre-ordered on 31st March, it's now 7th May. That's a long time to go without the functionality that you initially invested in, being able to sync trees etc. People have also paid for an Ancestry subscription, will they be compensated? Did Mackiev take the money for all the pre-orders on/before 31st March?

I also became a Beta tester because I was frustrated with the delays. We can talk about some things though when you look at clause 3.

I understand that usually ALL beta testing results are confidential, and that by exception I am allowed to share about my experiences in general as long as I only refer to publicly available information.

I like the colour coding, but it could have gone further.

Performance, mine is slower.

It's a shame they don't ask about quality of syncing....

There's more I'd like to say...
 
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