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Saturday, May 9, 2009

MacFamilyTree updated to version 5.5

Synium Software has announced a new version of MacFamilyTree. From its Website, here are a list of the updated items claimed to be in the program:

  • New: World History Database
  • Displays all Events in your Database in a historical context
  • Our predefined database features categorized historical events in 22 topics
  • Additional events can be easily added and edited from a dedicated Preferences section.
  • Add custom regional and global historical data
  • Historical data is available in Edit Mode, for each person and family. Historical information will be displayed in Time Line view, Person Reports and on Web pages generated using our powerful Web HTML Export.
  • Fully localized integration with Wikipedia (Internet connection required)

  • New: Completely Rewritten Database Engine
  • Dramatic speed increase throughout MacFamilyTree, especially on Macs running Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard)
  • Full size images and large PDFs are stored in the MacFamilyTree database without compromising overall performance.
  • Changes to the MacFamilyTree database are now saved much quicker.
  • Reduced memory footprint, especially for larger databases

  • New: Search
  • Rewritten, fine-grained search with a new user interface
  • Search for Persons, Families and Sources with many options to narrow down and customize your search criteria.

  • New: Additional Charts Available for Statistics View
  • Age of Children at Parents' Death
  • Age of Person at Partner's Death
  • Month of Marriage
  • Other Improvements & Fixes
  • Added Auto-Save
  • GEDCOM Importer improved
  • Improved Black & White theme for Charts
  • Wood style now selectable in MacFamilyTree's Preferences, as an option for the program's entire user interface
  • The Ancestor Chart can now be flipped as an upside-down view
  • Added a parents of person popup menu to the man and woman palette
  • Editing of saved Reports improved
  • Person Report now includes notes from person events
  • Person List can be configured to show separate columns for name components
  • Many user interface refinements
I have been using the program for a while, especially the mobile version on my iPhone. I find that the non-traditional interface is both appealing and difficult to adjust to at the same time. The tree view is dramatic, especially if you have a lot of names in your database, but it is a puzzle as to how useful the information really is. My wife finds the program objectionable because of its focus on politically correct terminology, i.e. she objects to the "person" and "partner" designation but I ask, "how do you explain the woman who ran off with the Bishop's wife -- who became a man?" and other interesting family (?) relationships? Anyway, the program is very interesting and shows a lot of promise.

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