You can use more than one genealogy program. You should use more than one genealogy program. You should not stick with just one and ignore what other programs have to offer.
As an example of how useful it is to use multiple genealogy program, I regularly use several program to perform consistency checks on my genealogy database.
You might think that I could just pick one program that offers consistency checks and stick with that, and you'd be mostly right.
It is certainly a good idea to choose a genealogy program that includes consistency checks and use them regularly.
However, the consistency checks of different genealogy programs are not exactly the same.
Not only do all programs perform a slightly different set of checks than other programs,
supposedly identical checks tend to be subtly different from each other,
so that almost every program will find some issues that another program will not find.
Thus, each program adds some value that the other programs lack.
The biggest issue with using multiple programs is keeping track of where your data is.
Using more than one program requires transferring your data from one program to another.
If you heeded my advice, and picked programs that support Unicode and GEDCOM 5.5.1,
you should not find it very difficult to transfer data between those programs.
Just for completeness' sake, I will mention that GEDCOM isn't the only way to transfer data between genealogy programs.
Methods of data transfer between genealogy programs include synchronisation, database copying, direct import, direct export and GEDCOM transfer.
Which methods are available between specific combinations of programs is likely to influence your choice of programs.
However, the biggest issue with using multiple programs isn't how you transfer data between them.
The biggest issue with using multiple programs is keeping track of where your data is.
In ideality, you'd use whatever program you have available at the moment, be it a desktop application, a mobile app or a web, and have all your changes instantly replicated to all the other programs you use. In reality, such synchronisation is available for only few applications, and when it is available, it may be impractically slow or buggy, and even if it works perfectly, Internet access might be too spotty or expensive to take advantage of it.
Without immediate automatic updates of everything, you are going to have to keep track of what you entered where,
and then transfer your data between your programs, to make sure you eventually get all updates in all programs.
Keeping track of your updates in different programs quickly becomes too complex to deal with,
and you are practically sure to make mistakes that will result in loss of some data, by overwriting some additions or changes you meant to keep.
Realistically, you don't want to deal with it, but want spend your time dealing with your genealogical problems instead, which are challenging enough already.
One program is your main program, and its database is the master database.
The simple solution many genealogists have settled on is that of a main program and a master database. One program is your main program and its database is your master database. Your main genealogy program is the genealogy program you do all of your data entry and editing in. That program's database is your master database.
Here is how this works.
You always do all your editing in the main program.
This is the key idea, this is what keeps things simple; you never enter any updates anywhere else.
This way, you know that your master database is always completely up to date with all your latest edits.
Any and all updates to other programs flow from main program and the master database;
you never update the other database by editing them, you update by transferring data from the master database.
There is need to keep any particular schedule of synchronising your data; you can update the other databases as frequently or infrequently as you like.
You will probably fall into the habit of updating other databases when you feel the need to do so.
For example, you export the database to a GEDCOM file so you can use some third-party charting program.
You upload the very latest versions to your family web site just before the family reunion.
You copy the database to your mobile phone just before going on a trip, so you can see what data you already have.
And so on.
Apropos, it isn't a bad idea to make a habit of exporting your master database to a GEDCOM file just before starting your system backup.
Apropos, it isn't a bad idea to make a habit of exporting your master database to a GEDCOM file just before starting your system backup.
Some people like to put their work in a DropBox folder.
At least one vendor's mobile app expects you to update the mobile database by copying your master database to DropBox,
so you might think it smart to always work from DropBox, but it isn't so smart to make yourself dependent on DropBox for regular access to your own data.
You should not be dependent on an Internet connection and some third-party web site for access to your own data.
I strongly advise against at keeping your master database anywhere but your desktop.
With the master database on your desktop, you'll enjoy top performance, while having your data under your own control and your own backup regimen.
DropBox provides a handy way to transfer data to third parties, as well as a good place to keep an extra backup of stuff that's important to you.
The simplest way to make your desktop genealogy program portable is to install it on a laptop. That way you can lug your main genealogy program and master database with you to work wherever you like. If you loose the laptop, you continue with the last backup of your master database.
Not all archives allow you to bring your laptop, and practically none allow installing your programs on their computers.
So, some vendors allow you to install their program and your database to an USB stick,
so you can edit your master database on their computer, without having to install your program on their computer.
While you use this functionality, the database on the USB stick is the master database, which you can make as many changes as much as you like, to later copy back to your desktop.
If you loose the USB stick, you loose your recent edits, and continue with the master database on your desktop as it was before you copied it to the stick.
Copyright © Tamura Jones. All Rights reserved.