More Information about Family Tree Maker 2010 for Mac

Yesterday, I mentioned the differences between the two Mac versions of Family Tree Maker for Mac that are for sale on both Ancestry.com and on online retailers such as Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk, etc. – it came down to the non-Ancestry.com versions (aka the retail versions) had a 6-month subscription to Ancestry.com with them, while the cheaper version sold at Ancestry.com does not. In everything else, they are the same.

I asked several more questions and am grateful to the Ancestry.com staff for answering them. The answers will end up in the Family Tree Maker for Mac FAQ, which is a part of the main Mac genealogy software FAQ. Without further ado, here they are (answers received are in bold and with numbers preceding them, my comments follow):

1) Family Tree Maker for Mac is basically Family Tree Maker 2010 for Mac. It is based on Family Tree Maker 2010 for Windows. It does not include the updated features of Family Tree Maker 2011 (Windows).
I had thought maybe it would be based on FTM 2011, but it makes sense to keep it on 2010. This is the first time since the 1990s that we’ve had Family Tree Maker on a Mac platform (that didn’t involve using virtualization running Windows) and it’s not the easiest thing to port between different OSes. They needed to work off of finished software, and at the time Family Tree Maker 2010 for Mac was announced, Family Tree Maker 2011 was probably nowhere near being finished. Had they used FTM 2011 as a base for Family Tree Maker for Mac, we’d definitely be waiting until sometime next year.

It is on the same level as Family Tree Maker 2010 though. It’s still one of the best/easiest ways for Windows users of Family Tree Maker to make the switch to Macs and bring their genealogy data and information over.

2) There are no plans to release an Essentials, Deluxe, or Platinum version of Family Tree Maker 2010 for Mac.
3) The version priced at $99.95 is essentially the same as the Platinum version of Family Tree Maker 2010 – it comes with the 6-month subscription and Family History Toolkit.
4) Both releases of Family Tree Maker for Mac are identical, the only difference is the included subscription and the Family History Toolkit.

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Family Tree Maker for Mac – Pre-Order, News

First off, thanks to Gary and J for emailing me about it. Family Tree Maker is now available for pre-order through a few places (links below). We did know that it would be available before the end of November, and that looks to be accurate. The pre-order information says early … Read more

Apple’s Back to the Mac Event Today

Today, at 10 a.m. Pacific/Noon Central, Apple will be holding their “Back to the Mac” event. As you can see from the invite above, there is a Lion in the background. It’s pretty much a given that we’ll find out the details of Mac OS X 10.7 Lion today. I’ve … Read more

Family Tree Maker for Mac – Before End of November, 2010

I’ve gotten questions from some of you about when Family Tree Maker for Mac would be available, now that Family Tree Maker 2011 for Windows/PCs has launched. Back in May, official word from Ancestry.com was that it be released before the end of 2010. Now it looks like it will … Read more

More Details About Family Tree Maker Mac 2010

Family Tree Maker - Mac Last week, I mentioned that after a long drought, Ancestry.com would be bringing Family Tree Maker for Mac back to the Mac world, and that they would try to match the Windows version of Family Tree Maker 2010.

Since then, they’ve posted some more information along with screenshots (link). Here then, in no particular order, are my notes/thoughts on what they’ve posted since the initial press release. Keep in mind I’m not familiar with the Windows version and am looking at it from the perspective of a Mac user.

* Mention is made that it will be available later in 2010 at “major retailers.” If this means (in the USA) Best Buy, Office Max, Target, Wal-Mart, etc., then it’s great for Mac users no matter what genealogy software you use. Right now if somebody is looking at buying a Mac and they check for genealogy software in a retail store, unless they are in an Apple Store, they are not going to find any. The Apple Stores near me carry MacFamilyTree and Reunion, but good luck at finding either of those two at a retail store that isn’t run by Apple. It may not seem like a big deal to a lot of us who are used to finding our genealogy software online, but there are plenty of people who buy their software at retail stores.

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