Legacy 9.0
Now owned by MyHeritage, Legacy is starting to feel its age. Nevertheless, it’s the only program in this round-up where the developers offer a genuinely free version – and it’s powerful enough for family historians on a budget
User Interface
Legacy is starting to look really dated, but it’s still reasonably logical, with its many tools laid out in a multi-tabbed ribbon across the top of the screen. There’s also a handy customisable My Toolbar option that allows you to put the most frequently accessed tools within easy reach.
The main screen gives you five ways to view the currently selected person, including a Timeline view that can help you spot gaps in your research. However, adding or editing information involves opening one or more pop-up windows, some of which are quite cluttered and confusing to navigate (editing individuals is a case in point).
Media Management
Photographs and other media can be attached to most records in your tree, including people, facts and places. You can edit photos, plus add captions, dates and descriptions, but it all feels a little disjointed thanks to the lack of a dedicated hub where you can view all your photos in one place. A Picture Centre aims to help you attach photos to multiple people, but aside from tools for finding and relinking media, there’s little else.
Charts And Reports
One of Legacy’s strengths is its publishing tools. Beyond the core individual chart and reports, there’s a large selection of additional reports, plus a Publishing Centre where you can combine multiple charts and reports together in a book, complete with cover, chapters and other elements. That said, some readers have found that the book publishing tool isn’t “flexible” – there’s no equivalent to Family Tree Maker’s handy Smart Stories tool, for example.
Mapping Tools
This is one area where Legacy falls down badly. While you can download an optional Geo Location Database to help ensure that place names are formatted correctly when entered, there are currently no mapping tools with which to visually confirm matches, never mind plot your ancestor’s locations or trace their movements.
Online And Mobile Integration
Although the feature is switched off by default, you can link relations in your tree to their online entries on FamilySearch. This allows you to match individuals and merge data to your tree (and send it the other way). There’s also a search tool that can connect you directly to a wide range of online resources, with results displayed in your web browser. However, you can’t easily paste records from online sources into your research.
‘You can combine multiple charts and reports in a book’