RootsMagic 5 Workshop Review

Randy Seaver demonstrated the features of the RootsMagic 5 genealogy software program to 17 CVGS members and friends on Saturday, 4 August at the Bonita-Sunnyside Library. In the first hour, he methodically covered the different menu features of the program – the Help, Internet, Tools, File, Edit, Lists, Add, View, Search and Report links. He also described the five different Index options and the six different View Options (Pedigree, Family, Descendants, People, Web Search and Timeline. This review provided insights into the completeness and complexity of this program.

In the second hour, Randy started a new family tree database, and then added Persons and Facts (names, dates, places, sources, notes, media, etc.) as he built several families using data from his own family. In the process, he also described how to add, delete, and merge persons, and to add, unlink and rearrange spouses and children in a family. Finally, he showed the wide variety of charts and reports that are available to RootsMagic 5 users to display and communicate their research for family, friends, colleagues and other researchers.

RootsMagic 5 is a commercial product at www.rootsmagic.com. There are many free webinars available to help persons learn how to use it at http://www.rootsmagic.com/Webinars/. The retail price of RootsMagic 5 is $29.95 on their website (download or CDROM). Susi Pentico has ordered more copies of it for CVGS members for a reduced price – if you are interested, please contact her at the meetings or at susicp@cox.net.

Due to the high interest in this software product, a followup workshop will be scheduled in the October/November time frame. If you are interested in attending a followup workshop, please contact Randy at rjseaver@cox.net.