DORSET-L Archives

Archiver > DORSET > 1999-07 > 0930916617


From: John Lewis <>
Subject: Re: DORSET-D Digest V99 #202
Date: Fri, 02 Jul 1999 12:56:57 +0100


> Subject: Linux

Ronald Dowle asked
>
> A recent posting included the information that the author used Linux
> and a Linux genealogy program. I have inadvertently deleted the
> message. I intend to install Linux shortly and would be very grateful
> if the author would could send me some information about this program,
> or tell me where I can get more information. Specifically; how does it
> compare with Windows based programs such as Brothers Keeper or Family
> Tree? Can information be transferred from it to Windows programs?
>

Hi Ron

I'll post this to the list in case anyone else is interested.

The genealogy program is GeneWeb currently at version 2.03. It is
regularly updated and like most Linux prgrams is free for
personal use. It is available for Windows as well as Linux and
can be downloaded at:

http://cristal.inria.fr/~ddr/GeneWeb/

I haven't even seen Brothers Keeper so cannot comment on that but
my wife uses Family Tree Maker on her win3.11 box. The major
difference is that GeneWeb uses your Browser (netscape in my
case) to display your database and works just like a website. It
is in fact designed with this in mind. At present Geneweb does
not have all the reporting facilities of FTM but I have found
them adeqate for my needs.

There are one or two irritating quirks like being unable to enter
all a childs data in one go when adding to a family, you have to
create the child then select that child and modify what you have
entered. This is the sort of thing though that may well be
modified if the author gets enough complaints.

By default it will display in various languages (chosen on
opening the program) but I have modified mine to show only
English.

You can create the initial database by saving the data from your
windows program in GEDCOM format. The built in documentation
explains clearly how to import this GEDCOM file into GeneWeb. You
can also export your Geneweb data in GEDCOM format.

The only other Unix genealogy program I came across didn't appeal
at all as it was run entirely from the command line. I have been
using GeneWeb for over a year and am quite happy with it

Give it a try, you have nothing to lose (but keep your existing
program going until you are happy with GeneWeb)

PS having written the above I have just found an email in my
Inbox advising version 2.04 has just been released.
--
John Lewis
from Bournemouth, UK

using RedHat Linux 5.2 (kernel 2.2.5), with the AfterStep Window
Manager,
Netscape-Communicator, WordPerfect, StarOffice and GeneWeb
(Genealogy database)

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