32 replies to this topic

[gerwally]

I've found that the current Roots Magic 7 for Mac does not function as well as Roots Magic on Windows. I am anxiously awaiting Roots Magic 8 for MAC but getting discouraged since it is taking forever. I was hoping it would be available before the holidays this year but there has been no announcement. It has been two years since they started selling Roots Magic 8 and it will soon be a year since it was to be released. I understand they do not want to give a release date prematurely but it would be nice to know if we are looking at this year or 2021.

[popmorgangd]

Dream on 

[Renee Zamora]

Even saying if it will be released in 2020 or 2021 is giving a release date in a round about way, which we won't do. People just get to upset when it's not released even when its not ready to be released. Sign up to become a beta tester and you can see how it's working. The pool continues to be expanded, eventually all will have a chance - http://rootsmagic8.com/

[les.warden]

Even saying if it will be released in 2020 or 2021 is giving a release date in a round about way, which we won't do. People just get to upset when it's not released even when its not ready to be released. Sign up to become a beta tester and you can see how it's working. The pool continues to be expanded, eventually all will have a chance - http://rootsmagic8.com/

 

"When the pool continues to expand and eventually ALL will have a chance".........

 

Isn't that the same as releasing the product?

 

I think everyone is just getting tired of waiting.

[Renee Zamora]

No, it will still be beta, only those that signed up to beta test will all get a chance before it is released. 

[Rooty]

I signed up for beta twice and have heard nothing. Currently working in family tree maker going through all my ancestry hints.

 

RM7 on mac is not an acceptable option for me due to the clumsy interface and process limits of MS windows. Mac customers seem to have left (no forum activity) and windows people may not care much about a new version with an improved mac like interface.

[NEreswearcher]

I too signed up for the beta not heard nothing. We have been waiting 2 years and rather than glitz I was hoping for functionality.

 

I have been working at porting all my data to another platform and I am almost there. Now it is probably a race to see which vendor gets their product out first and if they actually give me additional functionality

[Rooty]

I too signed up for the beta not heard nothing. We have been waiting 2 years and rather than glitz I was hoping for functionality.

 

I have been working at porting all my data to another platform and I am almost there. Now it is probably a race to see which vendor gets their product out first and if they actually give me additional functionality

Which alternative program have you chosen?

 

My choices are pretty limited since I use a mac and FTM 2019 has proved the best other option. I will not put up with a windows cludge version any longer.

[NEreswearcher]

I have decided to opt for a repeatable migration, I like RM for data entry. FamilyHistorian V6.2.7 provides me with some features, like their all related Chart, that no one else has - so far.

 

I have had to do a lot of prep work since my RM data set has many custom facts and sentences etc. I  have gone to the trouble of creating all my custom facts in FH along with sentences and all the roles etc to duplicate what I have in RM.

 

There was also a discrepancy in the gedcom conversion because each (RM and FH) is using a slightly different version (5.5 vs 5.5.1). The original 5.5.1 standard was ambiguous saying that the "even" tag could and could not have a descriptor. FH nicely converted those to Attribute which allows for a descriptor. 5.5.5 clears these issues up but I don't think anyone is using that latest standard yet.

 

I still have some more testing/verification to do with sources, footnotes, etc but all looks good at this time.

 

I have FTM2014 but did not think this provided me with reason enough to convert. I don't know about FTM2019. I have not looked at Reunion since I am not a Mac user.

[nobility]

I too have signed in many times to be a beta tester and no replies. I am beginning to think that it will never be released. People can't wait forever!

 

[Rooty]

NEresearcher;  FTM 2019 bears no resemblance to FTM 2014. MacKiev spent a year doing bug and performance fixes and then hooked up to the new Ancestry API for hints and synched trees. I want a native RM8 but FTM 2019 works NOW!

 

Nobility:  maybe we have no beta software to try because there is none--a grim possibility.

[Vyger]

Nobility:  maybe we have no beta software to try because there is none--a grim possibility.

 

Beta testing takes time, I was involved in one many years ago with another vendor and it went on for nearly a year. The problem is if you adopt MANY Beta testers in the early stages you just get unmanageable noise where everyone is reporting something pretty obvious in slightly different ways so impossible to manage.

 

The trick is to start small and gradually expand the tester mass as more obvious bugs are squished. That way you have a large beta test crew as things are looking pretty good and maybe only one tester in a hundred will spot a particular problem. Also remember that a large percentage of testers just want an early hands on experience of the program and just don't report bugs, that assertion is based on my own personal experience. Personally I have two friends that I can rely on for honest hard hitting opinions, many of my friends don't bother replying and a majority just want to praise my efforts where I am seeking constructive criticism.

 

I get your frustration and don't know your program history but RM8 does exist otherwise they couldn't demo it. However I am around long enough to remember the particularly bumpy ride following RM4 release and back then I was one who was pushing hard for release and I have learned from that experience.

[pstaveley]

The annoying thing is that I bought a licence for RM8 around 19 months ago with the promise of delivery by 11 months ago. That, itself, is a breach of contract.

[crashar]

The annoying thing is that I bought a licence for RM8 around 19 months ago with the promise of delivery by 11 months ago. That, itself, is a breach of contract.

To be fair, you bought a Roots Magic 7 license key. The Roots Magic 8 license Key was added in as a bonus to the purchase.  You were told that Roots Magic was expected in 2019. you were not promised it would be released in 2019.  Many of us saw that as a decent deal to help finance the completion of RM 8 as well as to obtain a license key in advance.  It was clear in the offer at the time but people have forgotten exactly what they purchased and believe they purchased a RM 8 license.  I purchased it as well and I am also frustrated by the delays but there is no breach of contract here.  Here is the exact wording in the email I received.

 

Thank you for ordering RootsMagic.

RootsMagic 8 is expected to be released in 2019. Since you have purchased RootsMagic 7 so close to the new release, we are pleased to give you a complimentary download of RootsMagic 8, once it is available. When it is officially released, you may download the software from our website.

Here is your RootsMagic 8 registration name and key...

[Rooty]

We bought a 2nd RM7 license to get RM8 license at the $30 price with launch expected soon thereafter. Two Rootstech later we have nothing, not even a beta copy. That is why people are miffed and the Mac forum died months ago.

 

Apple Tuesday launched it's low end computer with it's own chip and the announced (and shipping) product specs are a death knell for Intel. Apple combined the cpu, gpu, ram and other components into one much less expensive 5 namometer chip that delivers high performance at low watts and heat with greater battery life. Intel is still struggling to make buggy 14 nm chips and has failed to meet any of their own product deadlines for years. Too bad they turned down Apple's request  to make chips for the iphone when it launched years ago as too small a market to bother with.

[Vyger]

We bought a 2nd RM7 license to get RM8 license at the $30 price with launch expected soon thereafter. Two Rootstech later we have nothing, not even a beta copy. That is why people are miffed and the Mac forum died months ago.

Crashar is correct there was no promise, just an expectation which RM have stated they regret. I am in the same position with another piece of software and the quote below used to read "early 2020" but that has also slipped by, interestingly that piece of software has not tried to support the Mac market and there have been no rumours they intend to, all software is ready when it's ready and you wouldn't want it sooner.

 

Includes a FREE upgrade to version 7 - due for release in late 2020!

[gerwally]

When I bought a second RM7 license, it was with the promise of RM8 by the end of 2019. I understand that sometimes things take a little longer but it is almost a year later now with no announcement yet regarding RM8 except it will be released when it is ready. I would not care except I have a MAC and the wrapper for the MAC does not work as well as the Windows version. I will hang in there a little longer but at some point I will start longing at other alternatives and will not return if I find one I am happy with.

[PaperStainer]

 

 RM8 does exist otherwise they couldn't demo it.

Ha! Ha! Ha! As a former software marketing manager for US multinationals, I can confirm that having something to demo is not in the slightest proof that a product exists.

[Vyger]

Ha! Ha! Ha! As a former software marketing manager for US multinationals, I can confirm that having something to demo is not in the slightest proof that a product exists.

 

Ha! Ha! Ha!, CGI is everything and COVID doesn't exist, everyone has their opinion

[PaperStainer]

 

Ha! Ha! Ha!, CGI is everything and COVID doesn't exist, everyone has their opinion

Ha! My statement is true. Been there, done that. But that knowledge does not prove or deny the existence of RM8. Neither does having demo ware - which was my point.