“This year, Bruce Buzbee decided to start blogging about RootsMagic, to reveal the new features of the next major version one post at a time, and surely knows how to build anticipation, excitement and impatience for the RootsMagic 4 release.”
That’s what Tamura Jones had to say when he awarded the RootsMagic Blog the “Best Commercial Genealogy Blog” award for 2008.
He also handed out his annual GeneAwards for 2008. Unfortunately since RM4 isn’t out yet we couldn’t qualify for the best genealogy product of 2008 (it went to Google Earth).
Check out his site if you want to see thorough reviews and commentary on genealogy products. He is often brutally honest, but usually is spot on with his assessments. You can tell he actually works with the products and isn’t just regurgitating a company’s press release. If something is slow or doesn’t work, he is sure to let you know about it. On the other hand, if something works well, he will tell you that also.
Why on visiting the Tamura Jones site am I warned that the site needs to download a file to my computer?
Congratulations Bruce!
I wish you had qualified for the other award, but you have a head start for 2009.
He says you need to use a “real” browser that follows standards. I am able to access his site using Chrome or Firefox, but not via Explorer.
I have been involved with digital genealogy since Neil Wagstaff’s “Famiy Ties.” My first introduction to RM was through Version 1.0 of Family Origins when it was marketed by Parsons. I must say, Roots Magic 1-3 underwent some reather remarkable transformations since its introduction. I was given the opportunity to beta test RM4 and I am writing this 15 minutes after loading it. After five minutes of playing around, I feel like I died and went to genealogical heaven! This is the absolutely the best genealogical software program I have ever used, bar none! Having been computer-savvy since 1971, I can appreciate what Bruce has done. All the items on my previous RM wish lists seem to have been addressed (as far as I can tell) and features I thought were far down the road have been implemented as well. I can’t, in my wildest imagination, wonder why anyone would want a genealogical database program other than RM4. And to you Bruce, many, many thanks! You have achieved the ideal, the very best, a milestone that will stand as the benchmark by which other programs will be measured.
DS Hartshorn
Conover, NC
Derick:
Did you “have trouble” with deciding which to download — full or minimal build? That’s where I am at the moment!
Also, which would be the “most appropriate” blog on which to report our “playing around” comments — this one or one of the others? I do check for the last entry of the latest blogs, but only took a chance on this one and found your enthusiastic comments.
Glenn
Upstate NY
Chris,
I have been quietly researching my family tree now for about 10 years, have tried most programs one time or another, been with rm since inception, how could you make it as good as rm4. Congratulations, but no resting on the laurels just yet.
Wal
My comments could be a copy of what Derick wrote last January. I, too, has been around computer genealogy programs for a while. Was working with PAF and Ancestral Quest mostly because of my acquaintance with the LDS Church. Minutes after downloading and installing the program I paid my due for this excellent work. My life is now less complicated because of RM4 and its little ‘Temple’ icon. Contrary to Derick, I would like to express one last wish list: the ability to import or download a complete family link from a site like newFamilySearch to create a brand new file. Thanks again.
MH Belanger
Montreal, QC