Personal Ancestral File 5.2

Family Tree Magazine provides a thorough review; though software programs are not rated. Personal Ancestral File also receives a brief synopsis, followed by a longer review, in About.com's genealogy software roundup. Choice (an Australian magazine) lists a dated review but provides good information about the program's strengths and weaknesses. GenSoftReviews.com posts user ratings and comments for Personal Ancestral File.

Reviews say there are few negatives about Personal Ancestral File -- it's free, and its powerful functions and easy interface make it an ancestor to other genealogical software. But there are no current plans to update version 5.2 (it's maintained by the Church of Latter-Day Saints). Experts say the data input is easy, it can handle different languages (Chinese, Japanese and Korean characters, too), and the Windows programs are good for novices and pos. But there are few features for books or web pages and you'll need to spend about $8.25 on a software upgrade if you want decent charts. If you want publishing features, reviews suggest RootsMagic 3 (*est. $30) or Legacy Family Tree 7.0 (*est. $35).