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Family Tree Maker

Family Tree Maker
Original author(s)Kenneth Lafferty Hess[1]
Developer(s)Software MacKiev
Initial release1989 (1989)[2]
Stable release
2019 (Version 24.2) (February 2023 (2023-02)) [3]
Operating systemWindows, Mac OS X
Available inEnglish
TypeGenealogy software
LicenseProprietary
Websitefamilytreemaker.com

Family Tree Maker is genealogy software for Windows and Mac that allows the researcher to keep track of information collected during research and to create reports, charts, and books containing that information.[4] The software was originally developed by Kenneth Hess of Banner Blue Software,[1] which was purchased by Broderbund in 1995.[5] It passed through the hands of The Learning Company, SoftKey, Mattel, and others before coming under its current ownership. A redesigned Family Tree Maker 2008 was released on August 14, 2007.[6] The 2009 version of the program corrected some of the errors and omissions of its predecessor, and introduced a few new features.[7] Family Tree Maker 2010 claimed to further enhance the radical redesign and be more powerful and feature-packed with faster navigation and quicker load times.[8]

A version for the Mac was released in 1997; due to low market demand, for over a decade it was discontinued.[9] A new version of Family Tree Maker for Mac was released on November 4, 2010.[10] Family Tree Maker Version 16 was awarded a Codie award in the "Best Consumer Productivity Solution" category in 2006.[11] On December 8, 2015, Ancestry.com announced that it would discontinue Family Tree Maker. The announcement was met by fierce protest from Family Tree Maker users.[12] On February 2, 2016, Ancestry.com announced that Software MacKiev, the company that had developed the Mac version of the software for more than six years, would acquire the Family Tree Maker brand, and take over the development and publishing of Mac and Windows editions.[13]

The core functionality and user interface of Family Tree Maker 2017 have changed little since 2010. Software MacKiev touted four major improvements: FamilySearch integration, FamilySync, Color Coding, and Photo Darkroom. FamilySearch integration provides potential matches to the FamilySearch.org Family Tree, and their record collections. FamilySync is a replacement for Ancestry.com's TreeSync feature; it provides potential matches to family trees, indexes, and records at Ancestry.com. It was necessitated by Ancestry.com retiring their TreeSync application programming interface (API). While the old API was used exclusively by Ancestry.com, since they also owned Family Tree Maker, the new API is open to other software developers to use. Color Coding allows users to assign up to four different colors to a person and their ancestors. Photo Darkroom can darken faded black and white photos.[14]

  1. ^ a b Hess, Kenneth Lafferty. "Home page of Kenneth Lafferty Hess". Archived from the original on 29 January 2011. Retrieved 29 December 2010. During the 1990s I popularized computer genealogy by designing, developing, and selling the Family Tree Maker product line
  2. ^ Pfister, Michelle (2009-12-11). "Family Tree Maker: 20-Year Anniversary!". Retrieved 2018-01-03.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference update2022 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ "FamilyTreeMaker.com". Retrieved 30 March 2013.
  5. ^ "Broderbund Software in Banner Blue acquisition". The New York Times. 6 May 1995. pp. 1–37. Retrieved 30 June 2010.
  6. ^ Ancestry.com Releases Completely Redesigned Family Tree Maker 2008, No. 1 Selling Family Tree Software Archived August 6, 2010, at the Wayback Machine, Aug 14, 2007, Press Releases, Ancestry.com
  7. ^ "Family Tree Maker 2009 Release". Ancestry Blog. 2008-08-28. Retrieved 2019-12-24.
  8. ^ "Family Tree Maker 2010 Feature List". ancestry.com. April 24, 2010. Archived from the original on January 2, 2010. Retrieved 24 April 2010.
  9. ^ "Is Family Tree Maker available for the Macintosh?". Archived from the original on 16 July 2012. Retrieved 26 December 2006.
  10. ^ Planetspriv (4 November 2010). "Family Tree Maker software (Mac) Message Board". ancestry.com. Retrieved 6 November 2010.
  11. ^ "2006 Codie Awards Winners". Software & Information Industry Association. Archived from the original on July 4, 2010. Retrieved 30 June 2010.
  12. ^ "Ancestry to Retire Family Tree Maker Software – Ancestry Blog". Archived from the original on 2017-12-24. Retrieved 2018-01-02.
  13. ^ "New Family Tree Maker Options – Ancestry Blog". Blogs.ancestry.com. Retrieved 2 January 2018.
  14. ^ "Family Tree Maker". Software MacKiev. Archived from the original on 2018-01-03. Retrieved 2018-01-03.

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