Rootsmagic Genealogy Software

Rootsmagic genealogy software is the evolution of Family Origins (Formalsoft) and the brainchild of programmer Bruce Buzbee. I personally moved to Family Origins back in 1999 after trying various genealogy software options and I have stuck with the product up to version 4 but unfortunately will not be migrating to version 5 at this time.

Release dates
     RootsMagic version 1.0 - released 04 Feb 2003
     RootsMagic version 2.0 - released 24 May 2004
     RootsMagic version 3.0 - released 08 Sep 2005
     RootsMagic version 2.0 - released 24 May 2004
     RootsMagic version 3.0 - released 08 Sep 2005
     RootsMagic version 4.0 - released 25 Mar 2009
     RootsMagic Essentials - released 18 Nov 2009
     RootsMagic version 5.0 - released 28 Nov 2011

Well coming right up to date and Rootsmagic version 5 was released on 28th November 2011 the best part of three years after the release of version 4. New versions were known for appearing almost yearly like most software offerings but due to the problems which followed version 4 due to the complete re-write that time period was considerably longer. Users would love to believe that we are back on the development track of yearly version updates but is that a reasonable and attainable goal for a company such as Rootsmagic?.

So why do I not feel version 5 worthy of the very affordable upgrade price?. Well mainly the new version release has appeared while there are still many unresolved functionality and problems in version 4. I know full well that any company needs a dependable revenue stream to survive but I believe almost three years between versions was more than enough time to produce a bug free offering.

My other confusion here is that being a frequent forum member most of the requested enhancements to existing features were not brought to market in RM5. Big topics were always Media and Place management, some welcome improvements have been made to the loathed Media Gallery but unfortunately not enough to helpusers manage large media collections. As regards the Place List it really received minimal attention, in fact enough to warrant 28 seconds on the "whats new in RM5" webinar.

I must say that some of the new features look very good and are valuable tools in their own right. Personally I welcome the Research Manager, To-Do list enhancements and the Timeline view, but unfortunately many of the problems in version 4 still exist in version 5    

As you can see from the release dates above development appears to have slowed somewhat and some users are beginning to express their disappointment. The reason being that even with version 4.1 being released on 12 Feb 2011 nearly two years after the original launch it is still not bug free. Many much needed enhancements, or some would say missing features, have not yet been introduced effectively leaving the program incomplete and very time consuming to use in many areas. 

These pages are my attempt to post and keep current those small problems and provide some concensus of the development wishes of users all in one place.

• Some problems surrounding the new Place Details field.  
• Rootsmagic Duplicate Search Merge  
• The Rootsmagic People View.  
• Problem using the "+ Click to add father feature"  
• Rootsmagic Mapping - some thoughts and wishes  
• Merging - what's dropped and what's not (users should be aware)  

Unlike many genealogy software packages Rootsmagic has a very active forum for discussion, issues and wish list items for future upgrades. The main driving force behind Rootsmagic, Bruce Buzbee, is active on this forum and frequently interacts with users regarding wishes and problems.

If you are new to genealogy and trying to make a software choice I would advise making your choice carefully as all programs are not completely compatible with each other in the way they store additional information. I have tried most of the offerings out there and still do from time to time and Rootsmagic still remains my software of choice for ease of use and feature set. See the Rootsmagic Blog regarding the new features in RM4 and see Bruce on the short video from YouTube below.  

On November 18 2009 Rootsmagic launched Rootsmagic Essentials which is a detuned version of the award winning Rootsmagic software for those new to genealogy allowing them to dip their toes in the water of computer genealogy and start compiling their family histories without any expense.

“RootsMagic Essentials” Brings Free Tools for Family History
"SPRINGVILLE, Utah. — November 18, 2009 — RootsMagic, Inc. announced the immediate availability of RootsMagic Essentials, free desktop genealogy software based on their award-winning RootsMagic 4 system.  RootsMagic Essentials contains many core features found in its namesake that allow the public to easily start tracing their family trees."

Free and Available Now
RootsMagic Essentials is available now for free at http://www.rootsmagic.com.  Users of other genealogy software products will find it easy to experiment with RootsMagic Essentials using their own data.  RootsMagic Essentials 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. 

And below a further video released by Rootsmagic from Mike Booth.

To View an Introductory video on Rootsmagic Version 4 click here

I hope you have found these pages helpful and that they may have helped you make an informed decision regarding what software you choose to compile your valuable genealogy research. Also remember to search YouTube and Google for other reviews and opinions on the subject.

Happy hunting