RootsMagic Invites Public to Preview Family Tree Software
Free Preview of Leading Genealogy Software Now Available to the Public
SPRINGVILLE, Utah. — March 4, 2009 — RootsMagic, Inc. today announced RootsMagic 4 public beta, the latest version of the award-winning genealogy software which makes researching, organizing, and sharing your family history easy and enjoyable. During the public beta period, all are invited to download and experience the software, free of charge.
Impressive New Features
“RootsMagic 4 is the biggest release in our 20-year history of making genealogy software,” said Bruce Buzbee, president. “We’ve updated RootsMagic to work with the latest genealogical technologies available today, while staying true to our mission to make family history easy, accessible, and fun.”
RootsMagic 4 boasts an impressive list of new features including integrated web search, improved SourceWizard for citing sources, sharing events among multiple persons, creating pre-defined groups of persons, person and place mapping, recording DNA tests, and improved navigation and data entry. RootsMagic 4 is also one of the only desktop genealogy programs certified to work with “New FamilySearch”.
Freeing Your Data
“A common request that we hear from people is that they don’t want their data to be trapped in their computer,” said Michael Booth, vice-president of development. “One of the most popular features in RootsMagic 3 is our ‘Shareable CD’ which puts your data and pictures onto a CD or DVD along with a special copy of RootsMagic. You can then give the discs to family and friends and they don’t have to buy or install anything. It’s all there on the disc.”
“We’ve taken that a step further in RootsMagic 4,” explains Booth. “One unique and exciting new feature is ‘RootsMagic To-Go’. It allows you to install RootsMagic onto a USB drive and transfer data between it and your computer. This gives you the freedom to take RootsMagic and your data wherever you go- to work, on vacation, to the library- anywhere.”
Free and Available Now
RootsMagic 4 beta is available now for free at http://www.rootsmagic.com/preview. “We’re so excited about this new release, we wanted to give everyone a risk-free option to try it for themselves,” said Buzbee. Each person who wishes to participate will be given a registration key which will allow them to download and experience the software for the duration of the public beta period.
Users of other genealogy software products will find it easy to experiment with RootsMagic 4 using their own data. RootsMagic can directly import data from PAF, Family Tree Maker (through 2006), Family Origins, and Legacy Family Tree. It can also read and write data using the popular GEDCOM format.
The public beta also gives users the chance to give feedback and suggestions to improve the software. “Customer feedback is essential to us. All of the changes and improvements in RootsMagic 4 are in direct response to needs and desires expressed by our users,” said Booth. Buzbee added, “We’ve already received invaluable comments and suggestions from the early testers and we’re looking forward to hearing from the general public.”
About RootsMagic, Inc.
For over 20 years, RootsMagic, Inc. has been creating computer software with a special purpose- to unite families. One of our earliest products- the popular “Family Origins” software, introduced thousands of people to the joy and excitement of family history.
That tradition continues today with “RootsMagic”, our award-winning genealogy software which makes researching, organizing, and sharing your family history fun and easy. “Personal Historian” will help you easily write and preserve your life stories. “Family Reunion Organizer” takes the headaches out of planning those important get-togethers. And “Family Atlas” creates beautiful and educational geographic maps of your family history.
For more information, visit www.rootsmagic.com .
Source: RootsMagic, Inc.
All I can say is YAY!
I’ll say a very big YAY! if I ever get that email….
or am I just being to impatient…..
All I can say is one step closer to final release. I have been participating in community preview, and have been enjoying it a lot.
I have ver. 3.2.2 of Roots Magic that I use now.
Do I have to remove it if I download this ver. 4?
Thanks,
Leroy Terry
John,
Did you ever get that email message?
I received mine just after I’d entered my information at http://www.rootsmagic.com/preview, so if it still hasn’t arrived, you might check your spam folder to see if it might’ve caught it.
Leroy
No, you don’t have to remove your older version of Roots Magic. Version 4 is a new installation.
Leroy,
No, you don’t have to remove RM 3.2.2 when you download the beta of RM4.
RM4 Beta does not overwrite any previous version of RM or any previous RM version database.
I’d like to try it and see for myself. But aftet the beta test period ends, what will the cost be for Roots Magic? I can’t find that answer anywhere. And with the economy being what it is and losing my job, I can’t afford a pricey program. Thanks.
Type your comment here.
I am rather new at this. What happens to the info that I put into the new RootsMagic beta proram. Do I get to keep it or what. Please explain in simple terms for me.
Thanks
Stunning!
I installed RM4 To Go on a tiny 512Mb pen drive – and it runs on my ancient laptop running Linux (Ubuntu) with the Wine windows emulator. Truly portable! Well done … and it flies on my Vista Business desktop. Mind you I only have 10000 people in the file.
What can I say, Absolutely Fabulous.
Re the mails, I didn’t get mine on first try, didn’t go the the spam folder, just never arrived. I tried again from work and it arrived immediately??
I’m spotting the odd little bug which I will submit and encourage all others to do the same to give Bruce and team the best chance of sorting it before release.
Problem is those wishes are also creeping in 😉
I just “played” with the “Create a Book” feature in RM4- Fantastic! So easy to use- and so much information, well organized.
thanks!!
If I download and import into the beta, what happens when the final version is released?
Is everything entered into the beta lost?
HI BRUCE AND RM 4 TEAM,
IF AT ALL POSSIBLE I WOULD LIKE TO SEE AND EXTENDED PREFIX FIELD TO ACCOMODATE DESCRIPTIONS [LIKE, E. G. JOHN V [THE NAME], FOLLOWED BY THE SURNAME E.G. VON WITTELSBACH] FOLLOWED BY A LONG PREFIX LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, “OF BAVARIA, HOLY ROMAN EMPEROR, ELECTOR OF HANNOVER [OR EMPEROR OF GERMANY].” PLEASE NOTE THAT I AM NOT REFERRINK HERE TO AN AKA OR ALTERNATIVE NAME.I WOULD APPRECIATE YOUR FEEDBACK. THANKS MUCH TO THE TEAM FOR ALL THE HARD WORK ON RM 4.
KIND REGARDS
WILLIE MOORE
SOUTH AFRICA
I created your name and prefix in the RM4 Beta and had no problem with either the prefix or suffix boxes accepting “OF BAVARIA, HOLY ROMAN EMPEROR, ELECTOR OF HANNOVER [OR EMPEROR OF GERMANY]”.
In fact, I put that phrase in both the prefix and suffix and checked the Narrative report. Both were printed in full with the name sandwiched inbetween.
Laura
I currently am running Roots Magic. Will I need to purchase the new version or will be be free since I currently have the program?
Hi Bruce & Tech Team,
Just awsome!! I’ve been a user of Family Origins since Version 3.0, & have loved it. Iam now a beta tester of RootsMagic 4.0, & can’t wait for its release. You have a customer for life, & I recommend RootsMagic to all who visit our Family History Center, explaining its user friendly features, & easeability of the program. I’m like a kid opening as Christmas present, awaiting thisnew version. KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK & THANK YOU FOR THE GREAT PROGRAMS YOU OFFER!!!
Thanks again,
John W. Haley
At the end of the trial period, the beta version will revert to a trial version of the software. Some of the key program functionality will be rendered inoperable. Your data will remain, however. I can’t recall if exporting a GEDCOM would still function, so you might want to do so before the expiration date just in case.
When/if you purchase the software or upgrade from a previous version, you’ll be given a key, which you’ll then enter to restore the program to the fully-functioning version. Anyone who purchased RM3 on or after 01 Aug 2008 is able to upgrade to RM4 free-of-charge. The rest of us who purchased prior to that time will be able to pay the upgrade fee.
Geocode capability looks very promising. However, it is not in the correct format for importing into TNG, which uses the decimal format for displaying Google Maps.
I am a long time user of PAF and was looking at upgrading to RootsMagic 4, however I want to continue to use TNG for my web site, so geocoding in decimal format would be a must.
I have Family Origins 5.0 in my computer. If I buy Roots Magic 4, can I merge what I have with your new Roots Magic 4?
It will not work if you are using Windows 98, as I am on my laptop.
When practicing your tutorials I put them down on the task bar to review them again, but I cannot tell which tutorial is number 1 and so forth, could you put a number after each one or some other hint to tell me which tutorial I was getting from the task bar. Thanks