6 replies to this topic

[KFN]

I’ve been reading the latest documentation on GEDCOM Standard v7.0 just released by Family History Department of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  Several changes have been made that upgrade the published v5.5.1 Standard.

 

Will RM8 support the latest version of GEDCOM?

 

If so, will the program support the new standard completely or in a similar “hit and miss” of the current release of RM?

[Jim Byram]

I’ve been reading the latest documentation on GEDCOM Standard v7.0 just released by Family History Department of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

 

You have a link? Google wasn't much help.

[KFN]

The new "Release Candidate" v7.0 can be found here.

[Cedric]

I have just seen Dick Eastman's posts about Gedcom 7 - there seems to be a lot of confusion about it.  Discussions etc are posted, then disappear, etc.

When the situation becomes clearer I would appreciate advice for a RM7 user, of whether it has any relevance - is it something that might be useful for me, if so how do I get it, etc?

Is this something you will cover in the RM Newsletter when the time is right?

[Jim Byram]

Cedric,

 

Since RM7 will never import or export a GEDCOM 7 file, it has no consequence for you as a RM7 user.

 

GEDCOM 7 is all about the future and the changes in the RC1 draft are significant.

 

Jim

[KFN]

Jim and Cedric,

 

Yes, GEDCOM v7.0 will have no effect on the current versions of any genealogy program!

 

My question is based on the yet to be released RM8.

 

1). Has the delayed release of RM8 been to wait for the official release of GEDCOM v7.0, so as to not jump the gun?

2). Or due to the long production time required to release any RM program, that future releases of RM (after RM8) will take multiple years to support GEDCOM v7.0

3). Or, due to RMs lack of actual complete support of GEDCOM v5.5.1 I should not expect support of GEDCOM v7.0

 

My questions are based on the assumption that Family Search (LDS) by indicating that they had worked with leading providers of genealogy software, had given some advanced warning about the release to companies like RM or that they expected some level of support of the new Standard, (some parts would benefit RM) and that RM had some kind of roadmap to future enhancements for RM.

 

I spent a lot of years as a software engineer for a computer company, that at the time, was the largest (by $ sold) of any software company in the world, we had yearly published roadmaps to the future of our software.   These roadmaps usually did not have dates, but did talk about what enhancements to expect, and some order of importance, so that customers could look to the future.

[mjashby]

The GEDCOM 7.0 rc1 (release candidate 1) has already been withdrawn by the LDS and all links to documentation as well as the RootsTech presentations have been deleted.  Supposedly because it needs more work, but perhaps also because of accusations of plagiarism (i.e. failure to accredit the substantial work already done and published by others) - https://twitter.com/TamuraJones/status/1364025371981729792 

 

Or perhaps there's something much deeper, considering that they've' continually refused/neglected to become involved in any previous initiatives aimed at reviewing/updating 'traditional' GEDCOM and have in fact consistently stated that, not being a software development house, their interests had moved on, being entirely focused on what was previously called 'New FamilySearch'.