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I can understand that you feel that it would be a daunting task to
enter years of research into a genealogy program. However, I still
think you should get a genealogy program and get started. You will
find that once you get familiar with the program you will be amazed
just how how much easier it is to keep tack of all your ancestors and
you will wonder how you ever managed without it.

This is the way I suggest you tackle the enormous task of entering
all the details. Forget that you have hundreds or even thousands of
names to enter, just take at a step at a time and enter say 6 names
every day or week or whatever figure you feel comfortable with.
Before you realise it you will have all the names entered. It may
take take you a month or even a year to complete but I will guarantee
you that when you have finished you will be glad you took the time.

As far as what program you get that comes down to a personal choice
and you will never get a consensus of opinion. I have a variety of
programs on both my Mac and PC here at home.

The latest Windows Personal Ancestral File 5.2 program can be downloaded
from the LDS site for free.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
http://familysearch.com/

As you know there are lots of other programs but this is just for a start.

Like that old saying... I think it goes something like this "The
journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step".

Until next time

Dave Watkins

My understanding is that GEDCOM was developed by LDS to enable family history researchers to forward their data to them. You can confirm this in an item you might find it useful to read in Wikipedia. Just type Gedcom in Google.

I think you will find that all forms of Family Tree software includes the GEDCOM facility.

I use Generations software as my main form of software, but I like the Descendancy Reports available in Family Tree Maker as an easy to use format for sharing details. Obviously I do not populate both forms of Family Tree software as this would be very time consuming and with a chance of making a mistake, so I put everything into Generations software and use the GEDCOM facility to export that family tree to "My documents", then update Family Tree Maker from that file. I also have PAF, because a family tree contact uses that format and can send data to me using PAF. I have just looked at PAF 5.2 and the facility to export as GEDCOM is shown under the "File" heading then "Export" - where GEDCOM is an option.

To enable sharing of information between computer applications an agreed structure / format and language are required.

For Family history work that interchange format was called GEDCOM, and has evolved over the years from what was initially an ASCII text file. I think v5.5 is the latest agreed specification.

In the IT world XML is taking over from text as the "language" for document exchange. So GEDCOM is evolving and GEDCOM v6.0 is I think based on being able to understand XML documents.

There are numerous Viewer / Tree maker / editor programs available to read in GEDCOM files - some free - others chargable.

There are also many programs, such as Legacy ,that allow you to create your database of family history, they will have their own internal method of storing that data , but almost all will allow you to read in and write out your data in a GEDCOM format.

I'll go and check the Latter day ..... out, looks like the paf format has been updated paf5.2. I did ask the CLDS site questions a while ago, I can't remember them offering a gedcom format to download, I'll take another look.

Only your reply, I expected to be snowed under with recommendations and warnings "Use this gedcom file format" "Don't go near that format" "It will cost you £50, don't pay it, you can get a better deal here" cheers Fred

As you are familiar with the LDS site, you can down load free a family history package called PAF5.2, when you have transfered or input all your data, it has a facility for creating gedcoms, so will not cost you any money.

You can then send this to them, via email as an atachment. However you will not be able to add any information to Ancestral File as this was closed to any further updates some time ago. I believe the current one is Pedigree Resource File, which from experience takes atleast 10 months for new additions to appear. I am still waiting so good luck.

Gill Webb

Like most of you I would imagine there is a point where you gather enough information and need to confirm and consolidate it into a format that can be shared.

I was lucky enough to find so much information for free with regard to my Rogers family, it was all there in the Ancestral Files at the Mormon (CLDS)website "Familysearch" and it is my aim to add my family tree information to that site so that others can possibly use it in their own search.

I'm told that my information needs to be saved in a Gedcom file which is compatible with all (most) systems in use. It seems that there are quite a few gedcom formats available at differnet prices, I just thought "you" may point me in the right direction and recommend which I should go for.

Thanks for any advice you may offer. Fred Beach