82 replies to this topic

[Jerry Bryan]

RM does not announce release dates for coming products. But the announcement for this year's holiday special includes the following intriguing text: "Plus, you will receive a free download of RootsMagic 8 when it is released in 2019." That sounds like a release date to me: on or before 31 Dec 2019. 

 

Jerry

 

[NEreswearcher]

Jerry I agree that this looks like an announcement to me also. What would be even more interesting would be what is planned for release 8, which they will probably not divulge until it is already released.

 

I wonder who their audience is for this offer? I already have both RM7 and PH3. At this point I don't think the books would be on my Christmas list. So I can spend $30 now and get version 8 in 2019 or wait until it is released and pay $19.95 for an upgrade. I think I will be waiting for an upgrade.

 

I have RM7, PH3 and family Atlas. All of which are great but I look forward to various changes in each.

[John_of_Ross_County]

"Plus, you will receive a free download of RootsMagic 8 when it is released in 2019. This means that you can reserve a future copy of Version 8 at today's lower Version 7 price!"

 

Jerry, you did not quote the second part of the message.  I wonder what the upgrade price will be.  I am satisfied with the past history of upgrades at $19.95.

[Rooty]

Perhaps they will finally have a mac version in a year. May explain failure to release a fixed wrapper version for Mojave.

 

The rootsmagic for mac forum has no recent posts--have users given up due to no wrapper fix for Mojave?

[Jerry Bryan]

May explain failure to release a fixed wrapper version for Mojave.

 

I think the fixed wrapper version for Mojave is outside of RM's control. A third party provides the wrapper, and the first attempt at a fix failed beta test.

 

Jerry

[Vyger]

I was happy to see that announcement, my nightmare scenario was a rushed 2018 release with numerous unfinished features and many problems like a repeat of the V4 release.

 

Interestingly V4 was released 25 Mar 2009, and was followed by many months of intense fixes and updates, read what you want into that.

 

Feature wize, hopefully there will be something for everyone, Mac users do not have the luxury of the present mapping UI so they will and I would hope a much improved one.

[BonSam]

Hmmmm, I did not receive such a message. It would certainly be welcome though. did you fellows get this enticing announcement in an email....or one of those planes flying over pulling a banner....or? 

[Jerry Bryan]

Hmmmm, I did not receive such a message. It would certainly be welcome though. did you fellows get this enticing announcement in an email....or one of those planes flying over pulling a banner....or? 

http://www.rootsmagi..._eid=0dcb34ed6c

 

Jerry

[BonSam]

Jerry - thanks -- so great to see this encouraging news. 

[les.warden]

Being a relatively new user, I'm trying to be optimistic about the upcoming release and hoping it has many features asked for by users. BTW, is there such thing as a suggested feature-requests list? Is there a formal place to submit feature-requests? Is there a specific, consistent update/upgrade timeline based on history? Just wondering.

[Vyger]

"Plus, you will receive a free download of RootsMagic 8 when it is released in 2019. This means that you can reserve a future copy of Version 8 at today's lower Version 7 price!"

 

Jerry, you did not quote the second part of the message.  I wonder what the upgrade price will be.  I am satisfied with the past history of upgrades at $19.95.

 

Lets be real over the 4 years of RM7 is has cost users less than $TWO CENTs a day if you want unfinished features at a low price then that is what you will get, compare that to any online service.

 

I have read the price will be increased and I am very happy with that if I get a higher quality program with more features and ease of use which enhances computing power to progress my genealogy.

[Vyger]

Being a relatively new user, I'm trying to be optimistic about the upcoming release and hoping it has many features asked for by users. BTW, is there such thing as a suggested feature-requests list? Is there a formal place to submit feature-requests? Is there a specific, consistent update/upgrade timeline based on history? Just wondering.

 

Rootsmagic Wish List

 

Rootsmagic do not comment on progress, just the fact it has been added to the enhancement request list.

[Jerry Bryan]

There are consistent and significant upgrades. You can review the update history at http://forums.rootsm...-announcements/

 

The content of the upgrades does not seem to be very much based on feature requests that are submitted through this forum. The percentage of the feature requests that are submitted through this forum that have made it into the product is quite low. Getting a feature request onto the enhancement list is not the same thing as a commitment that the feature will be added to the product.

 

Jerry

[les.warden]

Vyger and Jerry, thank you for the feedback and links!

-les

[Ludlow Bay]

Getting a feature request onto the enhancement list is not the same thing as a commitment that the feature will be added to the product.

 

 

The "enhancement list" was invented to shut up those who expect timely upgrades and meaningful improvements.   No different than the highly ineffective "suggestion box" at work.

[Vyger]

I was being uncharacteristically restrained, both Jerry Bryan and Ludlow Bay are correct so don’t get over enthusiastic about development progress.

 

I don't ever remember Rootsmagic being voted best genealogy program in any impartial comparison, usually coming in around 3rd or 4th. It is always marked down on items like quality of reports, location mapping, gedcom import accuracy, and the look and feel of the navigation interface, where is invariably scores high is it's value for money so I think there is some balancing to be done there. That being said Rootsmagic can never exceed the expertise of the development team which is still totally in house and I mean no disrespect when I offer that opinion.

 

The "enhancement request list" must be larger than Googles servers by now, and the Facebook group is a buffer for support with "run database tools" not only being the most mentioned term but also with 3 hits on the first page of Google and accepted by most users as their responsibility and what they must do to use the program rather than saying it's not good enough! The Facebook group also has it's self established leaders and followers imo, the leaders don't like being challenged in their knowledge or opinions and often block other users who dare, such is life.

 

Without a doubt Rootsmagic will tick an important box with the native Mac version but we must ask ourselves what desirable must have feature they have planned for Windows users? Sadly little tweaks and fixes to the existing functionality problems is not going to be a big enough unique selling point to move the masses forward as it would appear many users are working on quite a simplistic level.

 

So that is where we rest for now, I feel that the majority of enhancement requests have simply been improvement ideas relating to the existing build, they are not going to sell a new version. Whether Rootsmagic cares enough about it's loyal users to close the various gaps and finish previously unfinished features is anyone’s guess for now, time will tell.

[BonSam]

Yes! Well said, Vyger. I agree.
So why dont I switch? Because, despite the promotion of all Gen software makers, sharing data or transferring data in full is not possible....particularly documentation and notes.i satarted many years ago, with the original FTM, then used Master Genealogist. I used Reunion for Mac for long time and it is better in many respects than RM..... but most clients are NOT Mac, and use RM.
SO now, I use RM for data entry, but use either WORD or Scrivener for reports, writing.

[Rooty]

In an optimistic vein, perhaps climate change will allow Hell to freeze over. Only then may we see a native mac RM8 (or not).

 

Losing data in Gedcom transfers between software programs is a real problem that ties customers to their first choice after creating a significant database. My file is still small (300 people) and I was able to move to the much improved MacKiev mac family tree maker which matches Ancestry's data structure pretty well compared to RM7.

 

I would give RM8 mac a real try if it ever appeared but have low expectations since even the crossover wrapper version has yet to be fixed for problems that surfaced two mac OS's ago.

[BonSam]

Hmm, I did try to move via GEDcom from RM 7 (Mac) to the MACKiev, but my sources were either not there at all, or a jumble. The other info seemed, overall, to transfer, but not sources and citations. Not acceptable. I chatted with MacKiev about the problem, they seemed not to have a clue. I certainly don't have the time to redo over 900 sources and citations (just one of my files...). They and others claim to have the "best" source recording facets in their respective programs....which either they themselves do not understand Elizabeth Shown Mills (and other authorities) or just figure most people just want pretty charts. Sad indeed. My experience in teaching genealogy fundamentals is people DO want to learn proper research techniques. Our Genealogy Proof Standard Class, for example, had a long waiting list...we are offering it again next spring here in Iowa. 

 

RM does have Elizabeth S. Mills templates in their source program, which is very helpful. Do any other programs use ESM? The other thing that's interesting is each individual commercial software uses different terminology to describe documentation...

[TheRev]

"I don't ever remember Rootsmagic being voted best genealogy program".

 

 

I truly think RM is underrated. I've only been using RM for a few years and it fully does what I need it to do for my situation.

 

I have run my own family website for over 15 years and it has been a bear, over the years, trying to bring in and merge my own data with Ancestry and Family Search.  My data flow was to use FTM to extract data from Ancestry, import that into Legacy to clean up the FTM data to gedcom standards, and then merge with my own data,to upload to my cloud server. This was conversion using three different database transfers. I would lose a lot of FTM data in the process.

 

Since FTM did not abide by gedcom standards, my data was always "dirty" and had to be cleaned up. I have no interest in the newer MacKiev. It is just a bought out rehash of the same thing that will be hacked and pieced together. I would much rather support mom and pops programmers like RM. When Ancestry went through their divorce with FTM I was glad to find that RM took on the task of integrating with the new Ancestry API as well as the new FamilySearch API. That is a big learning curve for the authors.. Some of us get complacent in our old age, glad they didn't

 

I was even happier that RM has a good sourcing format built into it so I could start to clean up the 20 years of sources I have collected.

 

I know folks are expecting a lot of features in RM8, but to be honest this program is so feature packed as is, I can only expect any improvements to be icing on the cake. I am totally thankful I have found RM and that the authors continue to provide us with the ability to bring in data from Ancestry and FamilySearch under one roof as well as the tools to clean up that data.

 

I do not expect programs like these (home computer based) to be around much longer as the world and our next generation has moved to cloud based services where data is controlled by those that own the servers behind a paywall. I haven't fully bought into the disruption, monopoly, and unregulated data control that Google, Amazon, Ancestry, etc, has created. I like having my data and a program to manipulate this data, that I paid for, in my physical possession. I am antediluvian in that way.

 

I'm not sure how much longer that Ancestry will allow programs like RM to connect to their API. I am sure, for now, Ancestry is allowing programs like FTM and RM in order to collect more data from users. Ancestry can flip the switch anytime it wants to shut it off. This has always been their corporate modus operandi. I have a love hate relationship with Ancestry. I'm loving them while they have opened their API and allow us to collect data from their site.

 

This program and others like it serve a niche. I am thankful that the authors still have an interest and can still make a living writing this program. These types of programs are becoming boutique programs getting edged out more and more by programs on cloud servers.

 

With that, I already owned RM7 and then went ahead and paid the $30 to get PH3 and a future upgrade to RM*. I am sold. Thank you again to the RM authors for their hard work. I don't think they hear that enough. I have created programs in the past and know how thick skinned you have to be to keep producing for users and push forward with your plan without getting burned out from all the negativity that can come from users.

 

As long as RM sticks to gedcom standards, sourcing standards, and can export without messing the data up,  I will remain a faithful acolyte. Like I said, anything above and beyond is icing on the cake.

 

Joe