.co.uk Review

If you're interested in tracing your family history then the Family Tree Genealogy Suite 4.0 UK Edition is the place to start. It brings together all the tools you need to research and then compile a personalised family tree on your PC. There's a lot of potential family history for your money too--seven CD-ROMs, including masses of clip art, a photo-editing program, electronic photo album and perhaps most significantly, the names and addresses of 44 million registered electors in the UK.

A family tree can be large and complex, stretching out through your extended family, or small and simple; either way, Family Tree Genealogy Suite 4.0 UK Edition provides the tools to help you define the different relationships that interest you. Some of the jargon is initially confusing--you'll have to wrestle with concepts such as "create a new daughter"--but it doesn't take long to get the hang of things. You can display the results in a traditional family tree format but also add pictures and even sound recordings, should you have access to them. Completed family trees can be published to the Web or burned onto a CD-ROM to distribute to relatives.

Of course, in order to produce a good-looking family tree you need the information in the first place and along with the aforementioned 44 million UK names, Family Tree Genealogy Suite 4.0 UK Edition includes links to over 100 websites. The links to official sites such as the Public Records Office, General Registers and National Archives are the most useful, though some of the others in the Getting Started section offer more general, practical advice.

The manual could be better organised--the tutorial should be flagged more clearly and there doesn't seem to be any installation instructions, which given that there are seven CDs, could confuse beginners. By contrast, the accompanying "How to Research Your Family Tree" booklet is both informative and engaging. The only other criticism is that the program looks oddly old-fashioned, particularly if you're running it on Windows XP. Even so, it's a significant step forward for UK users and well worth it if you'd like to get to know your family a little better. --Rob Beattie

Manufacturer's Description

Everything you need to preserve a lifetime of family history.

The Ultimate Family Tree Genealogy Suite contains everything you need to research and create your own Family Tree. Using the different elements of the program, you'll be guided through every stage, from tracing your relatives and ancestors to producing a professional looking Family Tree.

Use our guide to genealogy to help you get up and running with this fascinating but sometimes complex hobby. Starting with the basics, it will point you in all the right directions, from finding relatives and searching for documents, to drawing Family Trees.

Enter the details of relatives into the program, add extensive notes, photos and family history.

A research facility helps you organise notes, keep track of information sources, and create 'To Do' lists.Tree Detectives shows relationships between family members.

Personalise your family tree with border styles, fonts and backgrounds and print it on one page or over a series of pages.

Liven up your tree with genealogy clipart from the collection supplied.