Family Historian User Group

I've just had to install Windows and applications again and as usual installing Family Historian is a bit of a rigmarole - version 2.1.6 (original version I bought), then version 3 upgrade that I bought when it came out, then the free upgrade to 3.1.2.

Presumably when I buy the version 4 upgrade then next time I need to reinstall I'll need to install v2, the v3 upgrade, then v4 upgrade? When eventually a free update to version 4 comes out then it would be a 4 stage installation process? Looking ahead to versions 5, 6 in future presumably we're going to each need a disk library of all the previous versions and a lengthy period swapping disks to reinstall?

ID:3341

Nick, I feel your pain.

At some point, it's tempting just to buy the program all over again for ease of (re-)installation.

A friend of mine called last night to talk to me about this very issue -- she often skips an upgrade or two, then re-buys the entire program -- in the long run, it is cheaper to do that than buying every single upgrade as it comes along.

Jan

I'm hoping the answer might be that the Version 4 upgrade could be installed as a full product but could just ask for the licence key of the previous version(s) without actually requiring them to be installed.

Another possibility is that v4 will allow upgrade directly from v2. This means that though the process Nick describes doesn't get any better it doesn't get any worse either. It's quite understandable that Calico Pie want to ensure that one is entitled to receive the lower upgrade price but I would hope that CP wouldn't require an ever-extending chain of versions to do so.

I've also used the technique described by Jan (though not for FH). I'm never quick to upgrade anything (upgrades usually bring as many problems as benefits [eek]) so often a program has moved on a couple of versions before I get round to it anyway.

You didn't say why you re-installed Windows. Other options to consider for the next time are to already have a full backup (e.g. ASR) which would of course include FH. Or you could take a standalone copy of the installed FH including the program, reports, diagrams, and the registry parts. Re-installing FH would then simply be a matter of copying these things back again. I haven't tested this as a process but I can't see why it wouldn't work.

Just some ideas for next time [grin].

Hi Alan

Yes that would be a good option but I understand that the version 4 upgrade won't work unless you have version 3.

I do have a full backup of my system drive. However, when system drive got corrupted I had a choice of recovering from the backup or starting again and I actually quite like to have a clear out and build afresh now and again, the file system, registry etc. will have built up a lot of rubbish over the 2 years since I last rebuilt. It just struck me as I went through the Family Historian reinstall that this could all get a bit silly in a few years time

Nick

Nick Walker said:
I understand that the version 4 upgrade won't work unless you have version 3.

In that case I entirely agree with you that that is something Calico Pie should fix. It's ludicrous for a company to expect that a customer will retain CD copies of every version of the program and to force a customer to go through such a tortuous routine whenever it's necessary to reinstall the software.

The most recent full version and a registration key should be all that's needed. This approach seems to work well with every other piece of software I use.

This has been running for a little while now, with no response from Simon or Jane. Might i plead for a decision?

This is solely Calico's issue, not Jane's.

Yes, of course, sorry Jane.

Are you there, Simon?

I agree.One disc with the full version would be nice![smile]

New disc with version 4 upgrade would be great - fed up having to load earlier versions every time I change laptops!

Of course one problem would be everyone could just buy the upgrade if there is no checking for the earlier version.

I can see that once there are many versions going up from 2 to say 6 could be a little long winded, but I suspect at the moment Simon is concentrating on getting V4 'out the door'

Jane, Alan White made the point on 12 Jan that most other software includes exactly the sort of authentication that's at issue here. Accepted that Simon may have other priorities, but it's a widely-shared irritation that will get worse with time, not go away.

Paul

So Jane when is Version 4 going to be 'out the door'??[wink]

Brian

As Jane says in her signature 'I DON'T work for Calico Pie' so I'm sure your guess is as good as hers.

Cheers

Nick

I don't work for Calico Pie either, but my vote is for 'when Simon thinks it is ready'. [grin]

What's the old saying -- we all want software to be on time, bug-free, and under budget -- but you can only have two of the three?

Given that Simon has announced the price, I assume the budget part has been locked down -- so given the choice of one of the other two, I'd prefer late and bug-free vs. on-time and buggy.

YMMV.

Jan

It is surely the 'production' that is late, as it was promised in February and the date keeps going back. If the design is late then we won't see it until April at the earliest.[cry]

I was at the WDYTYA show in London today - There were some screenshots of version 4 displayed on the Myhistory/TWR stand, inviting advance orders to be placed at the show.
The person on the stand told me that they expected to receive the stocks to dispatch in the next couple of weeks.

Jeremy

One of lifes little ironies isn't it; this hobby involves investigating ancestors who've been dead for centuries, and aren't going anywhere yet some impatient types get tetchy because something is a couple of weeks 'late'.


[confused]

Good things come to those who wait!![grin]

If you were around for the upgrade to Version 3 you will be aware that things can take a lot longer to be launched than anticipated.
I'm off at the end of the month and would love to see Version 4 by then but as I am in the process of rebuilding my tree I have plenty to do without waiting for Version 4.
I am looking forward to the improvement in the queries, which I feel has always been a strong point for Family Historian.

Has there been any indication of the cost of the full version versus the upgrade? I hope to buy the full version rather than upgrade to eliminate the hassle of installing the many upgrades I already have - it will be worth a tenner or so more just for that!!

http://www.twrcomputing.co.uk has the full product at £35.95 with the upgrade at £23.25. The description for the upgrade says 'Upgrades to the new Family Historian version 4 from any full version 3'

I have ordered V4 full product at £35.95.

This is the full new version and you don't have to pay any more if you are starting from V4.

The £23.25 is for Upgrades to the new Family Historian version 4 from any full version 3 (or above) of Family Historian. Vista compatible. Not available in the shops.

Thanks - I've just ordered the full version.