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GRAMPS, Linux and other Genealogy Programs

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I have always been somewhat of a Linux (Fedora) fanatic but have always come back to Windows for certain tasks (Genealogy being one) as Linux seemed to lack software able to compete with their Windows counterparts. After Sun came with its newer versions of OpenOffice and a myriad of other marvellous innovative programs were developed I have found myself booting into Windows less and less.

 

I have on several occasions played with GRAMPS, a genealogy program I consider to be the absolute best on the Linux platform, but still thought it lacked the necessary features to compete with for example TMG. Recently though I had been experimenting with version 2.2 and just a few days ago version 3.0 came out and I must say that I am mighty impressed. The program has the same "free" feel as TMG, and a sourcing system I feel even surpasses that of TMG. The general speed and response of the program is also superior to any other program (but might be due to the OS). Admittedly, it is still lacking some of the more advanced reporting and charting features I like in TMG and the ability to properly register and document conflicting data, and also, like TMG, has sacrificed some of it's user friendliness in favor of a feature rich base. GRAMPS still sports features such as sources, repositories, roles, place list, etc. and the ability for third party plugins to be developed. It still lacks a bit in the multiuser department though.

 

I personally am left, after playing with the program for a few days now, with the feeling that this is a program to watch out for. It is not far behind TMG as a serious genealogy program for the professional, and certainly, in my opinion, is the best choice for the Linux platform.

 

Has anybody else used this program more so than me? I would love to hear input from people who have been using this program extensively and know what the goods and bads about it is compared to TMG?

 

Thanks,

Ken.

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There is a fair amount of discussion out there about the GEDCOM files produced by TMG not transferring all data to other programs (ie., GRAMPS).

 

I took a look at GRAMPS last night and I like what I see. Has anyone had experience using it in full production?

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I have on several occasions played with GRAMPS, a genealogy program I consider to be the absolute best on the Linux platform, but still thought it lacked the necessary features to compete with for example TMG. Recently though I had been experimenting with version 2.2 and just a few days ago version 3.0 came out and I must say that I am mighty impressed.

 

Ken, have you tinkered with GRAMPS in the last 2 years or so? I noticed that version 3.2.3 just came out and I like what I see as well.

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I took a look at GRAMPS last night and I like what I see. Has anyone had experience using it in full production?

This post was completely off topic for the 'The Future for TMG' topic and was moved for that reason.

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There is a fair amount of discussion out there about the GEDCOM files produced by TMG not transferring all data to other programs (ie., GRAMPS).

 

I took a look at GRAMPS last night and I like what I see. Has anyone had experience using it in full production?

Hi,

 

I do not really use Gramps because I am still a windows user. I tried it (version 3.2) just for interest for a quick and dirty little research for ancestors of my sister-in-law (and because it can handle Unicode).

 

So, I used only very basic features like entering individuals' dates, relations, marriages etc. But still in this simple case, I miss some basic features of TMG (and others) that cause me not to use Gramps for my main project(s).

 

- There is no view like the "details window" where I can see all the events for an individual (i.e. birth, baptism, death, children, marriage ...)

- the "married name" is not generated automatically (ok, I could live with that)

- You may enter alternate names and married names for individuals, but you do not see them in the person window (what you can in the project-explorer window of TMG). So, it is difficult to search by an alternate name or to see the connections/relations)

- Nothing to see witnesses etc. in simple way (as I do in TMG when opening an event, not to talk about the Associates window)

- Even if I do not use them extensively, the capabilities of customizing reports as in TMG.

...

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