Family Historian User Group

I am not in pressed do not like the hand book not a good system for producing a family tree

ID:673

Just what is needed constructive criticism.

What do you not like about the handbook?

In what way is it not a good product for producing a family tree?

In fh's defence, I'm a convert from 'generations ft' and I find fh very easy to get on with. I liked the handbook, the tutorials are good and well explained, they are also easy to work through and interesting. The program is well set up, easy to enter details into and intuitive to use. There are awide number of reports and queries and the recent updates have been very useful. I think that it is excellent value for money.

I have used several Family history packages over the last few years, some of which have not given me a way to manage my research, but just provide pretty results.  I came across FH via one of the magazine reviews back in May.  FH gives a much more open view of the database, you can do what you want, not what the package will let you do, so over I go.  I have spent many happy [rolleyes] hours fixing all the wierd things the the previous one(s) had left in (and also had lost).  All in all, I think it's an excellent program, but one problem is with the manual.  

I'm sorry, but tutorials don't work for me, I'm a get in and play with it type, and only the last resource will I RTFM. I've spent 30 years in electronics engineering, at the front end of consumer electronics, where there are no tutorials, it's all hands on.  I realise there are people who have to have tutorials, but some of us just want a bit of information as and when we get stuck, and a tutorial manual format is no use for that approach.  A total of 7 screen shots (on pages 15, 16, 21, 40, 45, 105 & 133) is just not enough.  Sorry Simon, but an excellent package is  hampered for want of some how to's, and simple suggestions as to the best way of structuring data and links, that go beyond the needs of creating a good tree and start to help manage the real data.  

I think I've learned more in the last couple of days by using Nick Walker's Gedcom Census and seeing how he applies links to sources, than in several months of trying with the tutorial, but that's me.  [grin]